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DateOriginal Topic
20th December 2004Charles Fripps Isandhlwana Painting
By Ian Essex
Whilst I'm aware of certain Rorke's Drift defenders actually posing for Lady Butlers and maybe De Neuville's Rorke's Drift paintings, the same could not be said for Charles Fripps Isandhlwana.
But do we know if any of the soldiers depicted in the Fripps work are likenesses of anyone there? If so do we know who?
Regards and Merry Christmas.
DateReplies
20th December 2004Neil Aspinshaw
Ian
in the words of Micheal Caine " I rather think the're nobodys posers now!".
Seriously its hard to say, that said did Fripp actually go to the battlefield itself?, I took a photo of the 24th memorial with the mountain in the background, it must have been the exact spot that Fripp used as the photo is exactly to scale, if Fripp didn't I wonder what contemporary drawing or photo he used?.
Interestingly he chose not to show any fighting on the saddle.
20th December 2004Martin Everett
There was a book published in 1993 called 'British Artists and War: The Face of Battle in Paintings and Prints 1700-1914' by Peter Harrington - published by Greenhill. There is a full chapter on the AZW. The Fripp was first exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1885 and was gifted to the NAM by 21 SAS. It is said it was inspired by 'At Bay' in Graphic of 15 March 1879.
20th December 2004Rich
Re: Fripp

Fripp's Isandhlwana picture was dated 1887 a number of years after the war. I did read that supposedly the picture wasn't such a hit at first with the British public taking until the 20th to be "re-discovered" though I'm not sure how "contemporary" the Zulu War was with each succesive era in UK history.
1st January 2005Joachim
Neil,
Actually, there is a guy fighting from the saddle in the background I believe;-)