The Defence of Saragossa is an 1828 history painting by the British artist David Wilkie.[1] It depicts a scene during the 1808 Siege of Zaragoza at the time of the Peninsular War. [2] Wilkie, A London-based Scottish painter had recently travelled through Spain. This was one of a series of four works he produced featuring scenes of Spanish resistance to the French occupiers in the Peninsular War.
| The Defence of Saragossa | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Artist | David Wilkie |
| Year | 1828 |
| Type | Oil on canvas, history painting |
| Dimensions | 94 cm × 141 cm (37 in × 56 in) |
| Location | Royal Collection, Windsor Castle |
Wilkie was inspired by the story of Agustina de Aragón who stepped over the fallen body of her husband to fire a cannon at the French in defence of the city. The painting was bought by George IV following its exhibition at the Royal Academy's 1829 Summer Exhibition at Somerset House.[3] It remains in the Royal Collection today.
References
editBibliography
edit- Holland, Robert. The Warm South: How the Mediterranean Shaped the British Imagination. Yale University Press, 2018.
- Tromans, Nicholas. David Wilkie: The People's Painter. Edinburgh University Press, 2007.