An original 1855 pair of lithographs detailing events from the Crimean War.
These historic prints are from the portfolio "The Seat of War in the East" . The artwork was drawn on-site during the Crimean War by combat artist William Simpson, lithographed by Edmund Walker, and printed by Day & Son.
These two prints from William Simpson’s portfolio tell a chronological story of the British cavalry's campaign in the Crimean War, moving from their first tense standoff to an explosive, chaotic battle.
Because William Simpson was on the ground as the world's first official war artist, these images function like 19th-century documentary photographs, capturing exact unit positions, landscape topography, and real battlefield conditions.
The Cavalry Affair of the Heights of Bulganak — The First Gun, 19th Sepr. 1854"
This print depicts the very first military clash between the British and Russian forces, occurring just days after the Allies landed in the Crimea. It captures a moment of intense, orderly suspense rather than hand-to-hand combat.
In the centre background, the Russian army has occupied the high ridge line. The print captures the exact moment the very first artillery gun of the entire campaign was fired by the Russians. You can see the distant puffs of white cannon smoke rising from the ridge as their guns open fire on the advancing British lines.
In the foreground and middle ground, British cavalry units are drawing up into rigid, disciplined battle formations. On the left, the 11th Hussars and 17th Lancers sit mounted on their horses, waiting for orders. To the right, Captain Maude's detachment of the Royal Artillery is swiftly unlimbering their cannons to return fire. [1]
The scene features an expansive, sweeping view of the barren Crimean countryside under an open sky. It emphasizes the massive scale of the terrain and the calm, geometric precision of European armies deploying for war right before the bloodshed begins.
"Charge of the Heavy Cavalry Brigade, 25th Octr. 1854"
In stark contrast to the first print, this artwork depicts vicious, desperate close-quarters combat during the famous Battle of Balaclava. While the disastrous Light Brigade charge is more famous, this Heavy Brigade charge was a brilliant, victorious British success.
The print captures the chaotic climax of the battle where roughly 800 British heavy cavalrymen charged directly uphill into a massive force of 2,000 to 3,000 Russian cavalry. The composition is highly kinetic, capturing the brutal collision of horses and men.
You can see the Inniskilling Dragoons and the 5th Dragoon Guards hacking their way into the dense, dark-coated ranks of the Russian cavalry. Swords are raised, horses are rearing in panic, and soldiers are clashing at point-blank range.
The immediate foreground is littered with the debris of war. You can see fallen soldiers, discarded weapons, and struggling horses on the turf.
The background illustrates a unique historical detail: the clash is taking place right amidst the tents and structures of a British military camp. The white tents are visible behind the swirling dust and smoke of the melee, showing just how close the Russians had come to overrunning the British base before this counter-charge pushed them back.
The text "Paris: Goupil & Cie" indicates that this is an 1855 first edition.
What the Goupil Text Means:
When Paul & Dominic Colnaghi published William Simpson’s Crimean War portfolio in London, they partnered with Goupil & Cie in Paris (and Otto Weigel in Leipzig) to handle continental European distribution.
