Page 288 - Eye of the beholder

ORLANDO NORIE (1832–1901) EPISODE OF THE INDIAN REBELLION: ARTILLERY ATTACKED BY MUTINEERS 1884
A prolific painter of the British army in the 19th century along with the artist Richard Simkin, it has been estimated that Norie alone painted well over 5,000 pictures particularly in water colours. A Company artist, he was commissioned by the British to paint this particular military subject, which was executed in water colour medium. Although his family was of Scottish descent, they had moved to the continent, and Orlando was born in Bruges, Belgium on 15 January 1832. He spent most of his working life in Dunkirk, England where he painted many scenes, primarily in watercolor for the firm of Rudolph Ackermann. Norie produced vivid watercolors that stuck an emotional chord with viewers, and appealed to their nationalistic sentiments.
In the 19th century, England was the leading power, engaged in military conflicts all over the world. There were military conflicts happening across India, interventions with the French & the Russians, action in Africa and the Boer war in the Balkans. News of victories, defeats and incidents from the war slowly trickled into England and Norie turned them into brilliant emotionally charged watercolors.
The results were not always objective and accurate, but they served the immediate purpose. Topography was not accurate; neither was the vegetation or other pictorial elements. This was not surprising as Norie had not stepped out of England.
Paintings depicting military themes and important military events were highly sought after in the 19th century Britain. Orlando Norie, together with artists like Richard Simkin, Mather Brown, Robert Home was one of the most well known and prolific painters of military subjects in 19th century Britain.
Works by Norie are a part of important institutional collections like the British library, the Royal collection, the military, as well as numerous private collections worldwide. The paintings elicit memories of British imperial power and glory, and commemorate important events that were considered to be turning points in the national history.
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