Soldiers from the Seven Years' War


Tyrol painted by Josef Ignaz Milldorfer 1742 - 1744 Oil on wood, 5 pieces; 35,5 x 23 cm; 35,5 x 22,8 cm; 35,5 x 22,5 cm; 35,5 x 25 cm; 35,5 x 25 cm Five figures of soldiers, all of them depicted in full height, standing individually in niches that end in semi-circular arches. There is no signature. The paintings are the work of an exceptionally good painter from the second half of the 18th century, who had used as model coloured engravings of soldiers by Martin Engelbrecht (1684 - 1756), the Soldier from Varazdin corresponds to the coloured engraving by Engelbrecht entitled 'Ein bey rauhem Wetter wohlverwahrter Varesdiner', from a series of depictions of border troops from the time of the War of the Austrian Succession (1740 - 1746), made probably by the end of 1746. 1. Soldier from Varazdin: A soldier cloaked in a big red cape pulled over his head; hands covered with the cloak hold a rifle. The larger part of the rifle's long barrel protrudes upwards from the cloak. The man is wearing dark trousers and lighter overshoes. 2. Officer (?): A man dressed in a dark grey button-up coat, a lighter grey overcoat, also with buttons, decorated with fur cuffs. In his right hand he holds a letter fastened with a red string, while a walking stick or a sword is hanging from his slightly raised left hand. He is wearing short trousers that reach below his knees, with stockings that are pulled up underneath them and big buckled shoes. 3. Soldier (sergeant of the militia guard ?): Man wearing a darkish red overcoat beneath which protrudes a white shirt decorated at the seams with lace. Over both shoulders he has leather belts reaching to the hips, and they hold his sabre and pistols. His dark tight trousers are slit above the knees, and he is wearing soft boots. On his head he has a pointed black hat with a wide black ribbon, under it protrudes a queue. 4. Soldier: A man wearing a dark red overcoat unbuttoned almost to the waist, ochre yellow trousers decorated with spiral lines, his feet are bare, with overshoes complete with spurs, and a dark red cape over his shoulders. He is wearing a belt with a pistol and a huge sabre on his left hip. On his head he has a busby with a skull, decorated with leaves and flowers. 5. Soldier: A man wearing a striped overcoat, beneath it a white shirt, tight blue trousers, high brown leather boots. His belt is made of a red fabric and holds small arms. In his left hand he holds a sword. A dark red cape is thrown over his shoulders. On his head he has a busby with a skull, red longish piece of fabric, and a feather plume. The paintings were bought for the National Museum in Lienz (Austria) in 1872 from Albert Tschurtschenthaler, a watchmaker. Maria Theresia als Konigin von Ungarn, (exhibition catalogue), Halbturn, 1980, page 181, catalogue number 132.




HPM/PMH-000726 HPM/PMH-000724 HPM/PMH-000728 HPM/PMH-000725 HPM/PMH-000727