Fallen Commerade, Robert GIBB 1845-1932

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A hugely important piece by Scotland's leading military artist of the Victorian era. This watercolour depicts a wounded Napoleonic soldier being comforted by one of his comrades, as a result of a colleagues comments this picture became a sketch for Gibb's larger work Comrades. Comrades was his first real venture into the genre of military art and battle depictions it led him to be elected an Associate of The Royal Scottish Academy and established his reputation as a leading painter of military art. This touching painting really shows Gibb's empathy for his subject and is as much about the human condition as it is about military history. Of the two versions we are aware of one is privately owned and the other is owned by The Black Watch. Most of Gibbs' work is owned by important national galleries and collections, it is rare to find an original piece of his work for sale. Even limited edition prints of this genre by the artist are very collectible and fetch good prices at auction when offered for sale.

ARTIST INFORMATION

Robert Gibb RSA (28 October 1845 – 11 February 1932) was a Scottish painter who was Keeper of the National Gallery of Scotland from 1895 to 1907 and was Painter and Limner to the King from 1908 until his death. He built his reputation particularly on military paintings but was also a significant portrait artist and painted someof Scotlands well known subjects including the explorer Henry Stanley.

He studied art at evening classes at the Board of Manufacturers in Edinburgh and at the life school of the Royal Scottish Academy, and began exhibiting at the RSA in 1867 showing an Arran landscape. By the end of the 1870's he had begun to establish his reputation as a painter of battles. Comrades, his first foray into the military genre, he was elected an Associate of the Royal Scottish Academy. The theme of this painting, a group of three soldiers, one of whom has fallen in the snow, was taken from his painting showing the retreat from Moscow which was exhibited the following year. He was made a full member following the enormous success of his 1881 painting The Thin Red Line which was inspired by his reading of Alexander Kinglake's book The Invasion of the Crimea. He continued painting military scenes throughout the Great War, and his last military painting Backs to the Wall appeared in 1929. Gibb died at his home in Bruntsfield Crescent, Edinburgh in 1932, he was given a full military funeral with honour guard at Warriston Cemetery in Edinburgh on February 15, 1932. PricePlease call for further details and couier costs Dimensions16" x 12" Framed 18.5" x 15" Date 1884 1930s Antiques Origin Scottish Artist Robert Gibb Item code as298a230 / 187 Status Sold

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Fallen Commerade, Robert GIBB 1845-1932

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