Genre Painting of Men Conversing by Hedwig Oehring (German, 1855-1907)

H. RIVERS American School, 19th century The First Lesson on the Drum Oil on Canvas Signed lower left "H. Rivers" label verso ex. Schwarz Gallery Item...

PAUL EMILE LÉON PERBOYRE French, 1851-1929 Cuirassiers Sharing Wine with Rural Countryman Oil on canvas signed lower left "Perboyre" Item # 309ULM18A A rich historical painting that captures the heart and reality of the Franco-Prussian conflict, the scene depicts a troop of Cuirassiers stopping for the afternoon in a non-descript field in the French countryside. Presumably the owner of the field, an older man has come out in the heat of the afternoon to greet the soldiers with a basket of wine bottles, offering a glass to the officers while chatting casually with them. Perhaps he is a local guide offering a sense of what the soldiers might expect in the rural countryside, but more likely it is simply a moment of reprieve in the idyllic countryside and a distinct juxtaposition to the intensity and drama of Perboyre's battle scenes. The Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871) was the last use of "cuirassiers" in the French army with uniforms characterized by the distinct helmets known as a "casque à crinière" featuring a plume of horsehair. The cuirassiers wore a breastplate (cuirass) and the red trousers were a standard part of the French military uniform...