Luigi Schavionetti after John Singleton Copley

The Battle of Valmy

30 x 24 inches

A scarce colour printed stipple engraving by Luigi Schavionetti after the painting by John Singleton Copley; published in London circa 1793.

It's refreshing to see a battle from the late C18th in which the British aren't directly involved. This epic scene, from the Battle of Valmy in September 1792, depicts the Prussian forces under the Duke of Brunswick attempting to subjugate the French revolutionary army in what turned out to be a very decisive first skirmish in the French Revolutionary Wars. The whole of Europe was agitated after the success of the revolutionaries in France in 1789 and high on the political and military agenda was the need to ensure that revolutionary fervour didn't spill over into neighbouring countries. The Prussians were supported by the British in their attempt but failed in their aim to reach Paris, subjugate the insurrection and restore Louis XVI to the French throne.