Battle of Smolensk on 18 August 1812 1825

Albrecht Adam’s “Battle of Smolensk on 18 August 1812” (1825) depicts the intense fighting that occurred during Napoleon’s invasion of Russia. The painting captures the chaotic scene of the battle, with smoke billowing across the sky and soldiers engaged in hand-to-hand combat. Adam was known for his detailed and realistic depictions of military scenes, and this painting is a powerful testament to the horrors of war. The foreground focuses on a group of soldiers in the midst of the action, while the city of Smolensk, with its distinctive spires, looms in the distance. The work is a powerful example of 19th-century battle painting, a genre that sought to depict the realities of war in a realistic and often dramatic way.