Nordic Goddesses

At the end of the 19th century Nordic mythology became more and more fashionable. For one part this was because the European nations were looking for their own cultural roots. But a much bigger influence had the operas of Richard Wagner. Nordic heroes, gods and Valkyries seemed more interesting than the Greek Olympians.

The Valkyrie's Vigil (1906) by the British painter Arthur Hughes (1831–1915).

Frigg Spinning (1909) by the British painter John Charles Dollman (1851-1934).

Despite both artists pretended to paint Nordic goddesses they continue depicting girls in the typical classical costumes. A winged helmet alone doesn’t make a Valkyrie. Moreover you should know that in their origin Valkyries were a kind of bloodthirsty demons. These painters wanted to be wild, but not too much.

The Capriciousness of Life

Caius Marius Meditating in the Ruins of Carthage (1807).

The American painter John Vanderlyn (1775-1852) shows here the Roman general and politician Caius Marius in his exile in Northern Africa. Upon the ruins of Carthage he is thinking about the capriciousness of life, about his own future and his destiny. It is not known if Marius visited the ruins of Carthage, they serve here as a typical symbol of vanity. History passes by and in the end probably there are only ruins to tell of grater times.

Dirty War

Vasily Vasilyevich Vereshchagin (1842-1904) was the most famous Russian battle and military painter. As one of the great representatives of Realism he don’t waste his time in showing glorious cavalry charges, normally he painted the dirty face of the war.

Firing squad in the Kremlin (1897-98)

The Night Bivouac of the Napoleon Army during the retreat from Russia in 1812 (1896-97).
Here are some more contemporary battle paintings by Vereshchagin.

History as Exoticism

The Diversion of an Assyrian King (1878) by the American painter Frederick Arthur Bridgman (1847-1928).

Bridgman was specialized on oriental and exotic subjects. With good success he mixed both in paintings about old Egypt. Here he went even further showing the Assyrian King killing lions in the arena, although it is to doubt that arenas like this existed in the Assyrian empire. It’s a nice and well done painting, but it’s pure fantasy.

Prussians in Battle

The Battle of Hohenfriedberg, Attack of the Prussian Infantry by the German painter Carl Röchling (1855-1920).

Röchling was probably the most famous military painter of his time in Germany. He focused on subjects from the Prussian military history as it was wise in a Germany dominated by Prussians. Although he was more a good illustrator than a great painter, this painting has something special because it shows the Prussians as a military machine.

A Difficult Job

The Battle of Hastings (c. 1820) by the British painter Frank W. Wilkin (1791-1842)

Although it’s not a really great painting, it’s interesting because it illustrates the first steps and problems of 19th century history painting. Wilkin painted it for the Battle Abbey near Hastings, a kind of national memorial. At his time there was enough historical literature about the battle of Hastings in 1066 and the famous Bayeux Tapestry was also well known. Nevertheless Wilkins painted the two kings like Greeks or Romans like he had probably learned to paint soldiers. From a modern point of view the crowns are also a little strange like the theatrically presentation of the arrow, which killed Harold.

Carlos de Viana

Prince Charles Carlos de Viana (1881) by the Spanish painter José Moreno Carbonero (1858-1942).

Even though Carlos de Viana was the eldest son of King Juan II of Aragon and heir to the throne, he was disowned by his father him in favor of his half-brother Fernando “The Catholic.” After a civil war Carlos was forced to retire in a monastery. Carbonero paints him there. Aa isolated resigned young man who has only his books and a dog as companion.
It’s an impressive work by this great Spanish artist.

Pre-Raphaelite Joan of Arc

In the 19th century in France Joan of Arc converted into a national hero fighting for the liberty of her country, which means she became the ancestor, the great grandmother of all patriots. In other countries she became popular too, even in England the homeland of her former enemies. But there her militant and patriotic aspects never reached great importance. There artists were much more interested in the devoted young woman. To the romantics united in the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood she seemed to have been a kind of female Percival on his quest for the Holy Grail.

Joan of Arc (1863) by Dante Gabriel Rossetti (1828-1882)

Joan of Arc (1865) by John Everett Millais (1829–1896)

Joan of Arc (early 20th century) by Annie Louisa Swynnerton (1844-1933)

It’s evident that in the focusing on the religious aspect these English romantics are abandoning the traditional history painting approaching instead the style of altarpieces.

Barbarian Ancestors

Rome was the ideal pattern for Empires and because of that there was mostly a close relation in France between French - i.e. Napoleonic history - and ancient Rome. So the French needed much more time to discover their sympathies for their barbarian ancestors than their German neighbors.

That changed with the French defeat 1871 and the end of the Empire of Napoleon III. Also in France now appeared paintings with fierce barbarian warriors as symbols of natural, national power.

Some of the best of this kind of paintings were from the French painter Joseph-Noël Sylvestre (1847-1926). It’s clear that he is totally with the barbarians, who are cutting the Romans to pieces.

The Gaul Ducar decapitates the roman general Flaminius in the battle of Lake Trasimeno (1882)

The sack of Rome by the barbarians 410 (1890)

Crucifixion

On the first look it seems to be a normal religious painting, a crucifixion. But after a few seconds you will notice the other crosses more in the back. And maybe then you will remember that you have heard of slave revolts in Rome - probably you have seen the film Spartacus! So the tortured slaves (the working class) take here the place of Christ.

The Damned Field, Execution place in the Roman Empire (1878) by the Russian painter Fyodor Andreyevich Bronnikov (1827-1902).

The Iwo Jima Flag

The photo "Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima" taken on February 23, 1945, by Joe Rosenthal is probably the most reproduced photograph of all time. It was the only photograph to win the Pulitzer Prize for Photography in the same year as its publication, and it became in the United States one of the most important national icons.

Nevertheless it’s a photograph and no painting! But the crucial point is, that it depicts not the first flag-raising. This happened some hours earlier and was photographed by Staff Sergeant Louis R. Lowery.

Later there was a big discussion and Rosenthal was accused that he "could not resist reposing his characters in historic fashion." Meaning that he arranged his photograph like a history painting! Rosenthal and all the surviving witnesses always denied that he did so. But they became all famous because of the photograph and had therefore a lot to loose.

But anyhow that’s not very important in our context. Our crucial question has to be: Why became Rosenthal’s photograph an icon and a million seller and that of Lowery was nearly forgotten? The answer is simple: Because Rosenthal shot a perfect history painting whether accidentally or not. It fulfilled all the esthetic requirements (formed by 19th century paintings) but could be accepted as "realistic".

The poster of the film "Flags of Our Fathers" (2006) by Clint Eastwood is even optimizing this history-painting-effect by adding to the dramatic action and the pyramidal group the typical illumination. It’s clear, Eastwood refers to a painting, a monument, an icon, not to a realistic photograph.
Recently appeared the painting "September 11th" by the American contemporary artist Jamie Wyeth. Now the history painting is quoting a photograph, which was quoting history paintings. The circle is closing. Once history painting pretended to be realistic and failed, now it seems that it returns more to the roots, wanting to be an icon.

A Moorish Excutioner

Execution Without Hearing Under the Moorish Kings in Granada (1870) by the French painter Henri Regnault (1843-1871).

One art historian wrote about this painting, that "the painter had played with the blood of the victim as if he were a jeweller toying with rubies." I think, that hits the nail on the head. Regnault was primarily interested in orientalistic and exotic subjects. He was inspired to this painting by old legends during his stay in Spain.