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The Deserter Apprehended, 1815 circa (oil on canvas)
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The Deserter Apprehended, 1815 circa (oil on canvas)
5919846 The Deserter Apprehended, 1815 circa (oil on canvas) by Smirke, Robert (1752-1845); National Army Museum, London; (add.info.: The Deserter Apprehended, 1815 circa.
Oil on canvas by Robert Smirke (1753-1845), 1815 circa.
In a cottage parlour, the deserters wife swoons in a chair while the mans hands are tied by a soldier with his sergeant; unable to prevent the removal of the young man by the armed soldiers, the couples family attend to his wife.
The majority of deserters were young soldiers in their first few years of service who found it hard to accept the rigours of army life. Desertion was also common just before going on campaign overseas, with soldiers at home on furlough (leave) failing to return to camp. Military regulations restricted the number of wives who were allowed to accompany the Army on campaign to six per company (about 100 men), so the prospect of leaving loved ones at home, perhaps for some years, was a strong incentive for desertion. Some families accompanied the regiment without permission, but no provision was made for them and they had to survive on what little provisions their husbands could spare them.
Despite the criminal nature of desertion which could be punishable by branding, imprisonment or even death, paintings such as this were intended to arouse sympathy for the culprit and his family. The scene is set in a simple cottage interior, with a clean white tablecloth and neatly-dressed wife and child. However, the domestic happiness is thrown into violent disarray by the arrival of the armed soldiers. The smashed pot on the floor mirrors the breaking-up of the family unit. The artist, Robert Smirke, specialised in such theatrical and literary scenes, while his well-known radical views caused King George III to refuse his appointment as Keeper of the Royal Academy.); © National Army Museum
Media ID 26407334
© National Army Museum / Bridgeman Images
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The Deserter Apprehended, 1815 circa
EDITORS COMMENTS
is a poignant oil painting by Robert Smirke that captures the heart-wrenching consequences of desertion in the military during the early 19th century. The scene unfolds in a humble cottage parlour, where the deserter's wife collapses in distress as her husband's hands are bound by a soldier and his sergeant. Helpless to prevent his removal, their family gathers around to console her. Desertion was prevalent among young soldiers struggling with the harsh realities of army life or faced with leaving loved ones behind when going on campaign overseas. Military regulations limited the number of wives allowed to accompany soldiers on campaigns, leaving many families separated for extended periods. Some desperate families even followed without permission, surviving on meager provisions provided by their husbands. Despite its criminal nature and severe punishments such as branding or death, this painting aims to evoke sympathy for both the deserter and his family. The artist portrays a seemingly idyllic domestic setting disrupted by armed soldiers bursting into their lives. A shattered pot symbolizes the fracture within this once-unified family unit. Robert Smirke was known for his theatrical and literary scenes, often invoking empathy through dramatic storytelling. His radical views led King George III to reject him as Keeper of the Royal Academy. This print from Fine Art Finder allows viewers to reflect upon an era marked by sacrifice, hardship, and torn loyalties within military families.
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