BIB_ID
310739
Accession number
MA 4500
Creator
Thackeray, William Makepeace, 1811-1863.
Published
18--.
Credit line
Bequest of Gordon N. Ray, 1987.
Description
1 drawing.
Notes
Caption text in Thackeray's hand continues: Colonel Binfield the Duke's Master of the Horse at Blenheim was kneeling to hold his Grace's stirrup when a CANNON BALL took Binfield's head off, wh. of course you can't see. Behind his Grace is the Wahleck Grenadier regiment, and the boots in the foreground are those of the gallant Hopkinson who fell early in the day.
Drawing illustrates a scene recounted in Chapter 12 of Thackeray's History of Henry Esmond; a note in pencil on the remains of a sheet on which the drawing was formerly mounted at the bottom reads, "Actually, this happened at Ramillies. See Esmond, Bk. II, Ch. XII."
Title from item.
Drawing illustrates a scene recounted in Chapter 12 of Thackeray's History of Henry Esmond; a note in pencil on the remains of a sheet on which the drawing was formerly mounted at the bottom reads, "Actually, this happened at Ramillies. See Esmond, Bk. II, Ch. XII."
Title from item.
6 15/16 x 5 1/16 inches (176 x 129 mm)
Inscriptions/Markings
Inscribed by the artist on verso: Appropriate Remark by an Historian. I think it is Alison who says finely in his 65th volume -'Binfield, Marlborough's master of the horse, lost his head at Blenheim. Marlborough kept his perfectly cool through all his campaigns.' This observation surely enhances the value of this sketch slight though it be.
Provenance
From the library of Gordon N. Ray.
Summary
Drawing shows the headlesss figure of Colonel Binfield [i.e. Bringfield] kneeling beside the Duke of Marlborough on his mounted on his charger, with his Grace's stirrup still gripped in his hand; two soldiers and a pair of prone boots are sketched in in the background.
Medium
Pen and brown ink with gray wash, on paper.
Catalog link
Classification
Department