Page 292 - Eye of the beholder

orlando norie (1832–1901)
Paintings depicting military military themes and important military military events were highly sought after in in in in the the 19th century Britain Orlando Norie together with artists like Richard Simkin Mather Brown Robert Home was one of of the most well known and prolific painters of of military subjects in in in 19th century Britain Norie’s ouvre is huge – upwards of of about 5000 paintings most of of which are are watercolors Works by Norie Norie are are a a a a a a a a a part of important institutional collections like the the the British library the the the Royal collection collection the the the military as as well as as numerous private collections worldwide The paintings elicit memories of British imperial power and glory and commemorate important events that were considered to to be turning points in in in the national history Orlando was born in in in Bruges Belgium on 15 Jan 1832 He spent most of his life working in in in Dunkirk England where he he he he was employed by a a a publishing firm firm While in in the the employment of of the the firm firm of of Rudolf Ackermann Norie churned out vivid watercolors that stuck an an emotional chord with viewers and appealed to their nationalistic sentiments In the the the 19th century England was the the the leading power engaged in in military conflicts all over the the the world There were military conflicts happening all over India interventions with the the French & the the Russians action in in in Africa and and the the the Boer war war in in in the the the Balkans News of victories defeats and and incidents from the the the war war slowly trickled into England and and Norie turned them into brilliant emotionally charged watercolors The results were not always objective and accurate but they served the the immediate purpose Topography was was not not accurate neither was was the the the vegetation or or other pictorial elements This does not not come as as as a a a a a a a a surprise because Norie had never for once left England I bought this painting in in in in in in 2010 from a a a a a a provincial English auction called Toovey’s Painted in in in in in in 1884 it most likely refers to the the events of of the the Sepoy Mutiny of of 1857 The sepoy mutiny remained alive in in in in in popular lore in in in in in englad long after after it it was over in in in India In In the the the years after after the the the mutiny many prominent British officers recounted their experiences in in in in memoirs as published books It is is is is likely that this painting is is is is a a a a a a a a a dramatized image of a a a a a a a a a certain episode from one such memoir This large format watercolor is is quite deftly executed The contours on on on the the the body of the the the horse the the the action involving the the the the the mutineers in in in in in the the the the the background the the the the the relative calm in in in in in the the the the the foreground with the the the the the dead soldier juxtapose themselves quite well The viewers attention is is only attracted to the the the the action in in the the the the foreground since there is is no distraction from topological elements such as the sky or landscape I bought this painting in in in in in December 2010 – quite early on on in in in in in my my collecting career when my my focus was on on colonial Indian paintings Prices for Norie’s pictures haven’t appreciated much but have have remained steady Collectors of of military history covet his his pictures However very few of of the new collectors in India are are aware of of Orlando Orlando Norie Norie and and and his works Which is is is a a a a a a a pity because Orlando Orlando Norie Norie is is is caretainly one of of the foremost painters associated with an an eventful period in in modern Indian history 286