A fine addition to the Military Collection is a watercolor (28 x 39 cm) painted by Jan Anthonie Langendijk (Rotterdam 1780-1818 Amsterdam). Like his father Dirk (1748-1805), he built his reputation painting scenes of the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. They drew ‘from life’ the French entering the Dutch Republic in 1794 and the subsequent wars, following the armies as they crossed through the Low Countries and northern France.
This detailed picture captures the essence of a British temporary encampment at the time. The dealer’s notes describe the scene: ‘The artist has shown soldiers sitting and lying down after a long day’s march, food being prepared, a pot heated over a campfire, and soldiers purchasing vegetables from a traveling saleswomen on a donkey…some soldiers are wearing grey overcoats to protect themselves from the drafty weather…the gesticulating man in the grey overcoat behind the man wearing the small backpack with provisions in the foreground is identified as an officer by the ornament on his headwear, and sash around his waist’. [Foolscap Fine Art]
The picture complements other original works by both Langendijk’s in the collection including an album of 74 mounted gouache paintings of European soldiers, circa 1800, by Jan Anthonie