Chasseur À Cheval 1885

Jean-Baptiste Édouard Detaille made this watercolor painting, Chasseur À Cheval, in France. It depicts a cavalryman on horseback, rifle in hand, with others engaged in battle behind him. This image participates in a long tradition of military art produced in France after the revolution, particularly under the Third Republic, celebrating the heroic sacrifice of soldiers. The focus on the individual soldier, rather than a grand battle scene, humanizes the military experience. Detaille's attention to detail in the uniforms and equipment reflects a growing professionalization of the French military, as well as his own experience as a soldier during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71. By idealizing the figure of the soldier, this artwork implicitly supports the political and social structures that rely on military power. But to grasp the image’s full meaning, we need to research the institutions that shaped its production and reception, exploring archives and military records, and examining the wider social and cultural context in which it was made.