‘Sir John Moore’s Tomb’, graphite on paper, by an unknown 19thC artist.

Description

This moody, well-executed early 19th century small drawing, titled below in ink, shows the tomb of Lieutenant-General Sir John Moore (1761-1809). Moore is best known for his defeat of Napoleon's army at Corunna (A Coruña) during the Peninsular War, and his subsequent death shortly after the victory was clear, due to severe wounds suffered in battle.

With a dramatic use of light and dark, and an almost photographic quality, the tomb's placement in the landscape gives it an almost Surreallist effect. This was probably cut from an early 19th century soldier's or traveller's sketchbook but, the baffling thing is that Moore's tomb in San Carlos Garden, A Coruña, looks nothing like the tomb depicted! Perhaps this was drawn just after the battle in January 1809, before the tomb had been built so it is actually a mournful idea of how the great military reformer and leader's tomb might look?

Condition
Very good, and clean, with an almost 'sparkling' effect to the dark areas of the graphite. Glue marks in the corners from where it must have been stuck or mounted into an album. Glued onto a piece of paper, with another piece of paper taped at the top to act as a 'cover'.

Paper bearing illustration: 16.6cm wide, 13cm high.

Shipping
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