The Defense of Champigny
The Met
Artist: Edouard Detaille(French, Paris 1848–1912 Paris)
Date: 1879
Department: European Paintings
Classification: Paintings
Medium: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: 48 x 84 3/4 in. (121.9 x 215.3 cm)
Credit Line: Gift of Henry Hilton, 1887
Visual Descriptions
AI GeneratedVisual Summary
Brief Description
Soldiers in blue and red uniforms assault a stone wall and large building, hazy sky
Detailed Description
This wide, horizontal painting depicts a battle scene with numerous soldiers engaged in various actions under a hazy, yellowish-orange sky. In the left foreground and midground, a group of soldiers, predominantly dressed in dark blue coats and red trousers, are dismantling a light-colored stone wall using pickaxes. The ground around them is strewn with rubble and debris. Moving towards the center, more soldiers are visible, some carrying large wooden planks or barrels, while others stand or kneel, many equipped with rifles. The immediate foreground is littered with broken glass, shattered windowpanes, and wooden frames. A small, dark animal is visible near the left-center foreground. On the right side of the painting, a grand, multi-story building with a dark mansard roof and light-colored walls is prominent. Smoke billows from its windows and roof, indicating a fire. Many soldiers are gathered around this building, some on horseback and others on foot, participating in the conflict. Bare trees are visible behind the building and in the midground.
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