rorkesdriftvc.com :: View topic - Depicting De Neuville's Painting Of Rorke's Drift ?

Posted: Sat Dec 11, 2010 6:21 pm

I'd imagine this b&w photo was in a book I once had, rather than seeing it on the net.

Description -

It consisted of soldiers/actors representing the people in the painting, in uniform, standing posing in the same positions/locations as those in the painting.

Anyone know of this - who was in it and when it was taken ?

Thanks

C.J.

Posted: Sat Dec 11, 2010 11:35 pm

There is a sketch (not photograph) as you describe in the Fine Art Society brochure produced for the first exhibition of de Neuville's painting in their galleries on London in 1881 along with a roll of defenders and an account of the action. The museum has 2 copies of this brochure - I am not aware of any others existing.

Posted: Sun Dec 12, 2010 1:15 am

Martin

I can only think it might have been from a Rorke's Drift publication, such as by Ian Knight or Michael Barthorp(?)

It wasn't a recent photo, but maybe early 20th Century, showing a partial re-creation of the painting, including Chard - perhaps an anniversary of the event ?

I don't think it was late 19th Century.

Sorry about lack of details.

C.J.

Posted: Mon Dec 13, 2010 12:31 pm

Coll,

Two suggestions of what it might be.

First, Lady Butler had members of the 24th pose for her for her "The Defense of Rorke's Drift." Several of her preliminary sketches including a group of defenders appear in a number of publications. You can see all of them in Michael Glovers, "Rorke's Drift a Victorian Epic."

The second; in July of 1934 Bourne, Saxty, Cooper, Jobbins, and Caleb Woods took part in a Military Tattoo in Gateshead that had a re-enactment of the Defence of Rorke's Drift. A still black and white photo of this appears in James Bancroft "The Zulu War of 1879 Rorke's Drift."

Maybe this is the picture you're remembering.

Hope this helps, Jeff

Posted: Tue Dec 14, 2010 3:00 am

I believe this might be the brochure for the painting in question:

http://s799.photobucket.com/albums/yy277/rshee434/?action=view&current=DeNeuville1.jpg

http://s799.photobucket.com/albums/yy277/rshee434/?action=view&current=DeNeuville2.jpg

Ron Sheeley

Posted: Tue Dec 14, 2010 10:12 am

I have a photocopy of the brochure, one having come down in the family of Rev Geo Smith, to which I have had access. I've little doubt that Ron's version will be an original! The collection of little preliminary sketches appears on p10. The painting's appearance at the exhibition was, in fact, in 1880 rather than 1881, opening on Monday 14th March of that year and reported fully in the national press on the 17th.

De Neuville had had sittings of Chard, Smith & Reynolds and was provided with photographs of Bromhead & Dalton, as well help from "suggestions of relatives." He made studies of the men of the 24th, and others, at Portsmouth. When one considers that Smith didn't even jump off the boat in England until well into the first week of February 1880, the artist must have worked wonders to have the thing hanging in New Bond Street less than six weeks later! I believe Lady (then Mrs?) Butler's painting was due for its exhibit later the same year at the 1880 Academy Exhibition.

I suspect the first of Jeff's two suggestions above is likely to be the answer.

Peter

Posted: Tue Dec 14, 2010 3:20 pm

All

Many thanks for your very detailed replies.

C.J.

Posted: Tue Dec 14, 2010 7:57 pm

Ron... thanks for those items.

In reading the copy you've shown of 'The Defence of Rorke's Drift, "Opinions of the Press" it's noted:

"It is excellent in colour, first rate in keeping throughout, and not devoid of grim humour".

I'm just wondering if the writer was referring to particular sitautions shown in the picture or was it simply a comment describing the penchant for a tough group to underplay the calamity they were dealing with.
I've had a copy of De Neuville's hanging in my den for a while not entertaining any thought of "grim humour" in the picture. I guess I'll have to look for it! That's the thing with art, there's always something in a picture that's sometimes hiding.... Wink