Oil on canvas, 35 × 46 cm
Johann Conrad Seekatz got a job position as a court painter in Darmstadt in 1753, yet he sold many of his works in Frankfurt due to the city's abundance of affluent collectors.
He painted predominantly small-format paintings featuring genre scenes, historical narratives as well as religious and mythological motifs. These compositions are characterized by their vibrant arrangements, demonstrating Seekatz's profound understanding of Dutch, Italian, and French Baroque painting traditions..
The picture portrays a nighttime war scene, with the conflict unfolding in the background against the backdrop of a besieged city illuminated by flames. Positioned at the center of the composition is a high-ranking officer, distinguished by his red coat, riding a white horse, issuing commands to a captain on foot. A soldier, bearing a drum on his back, holds a torch to provide light for the commanding officer, his dark silhouette is contrasting sharply against the brightly lit torchlight.
Behind the officer on the white horse, a second rider can be seen who also directing operations. Infantry in red uniforms advance from the right, are under the guidance of an officer clad in blue attire. The left edge of the picture features a tree with a seated soldier with other soldiers visible in the background.
Three light sources illuminate the scene: a full moon veiled by wispy clouds, the torch held in the foreground and the fire in the background. This effective combination of light sources was very popular technique during the 18th and early 19th centuries. The inclusion of the full moon is serving both an aesthetic and practical purpose; it provides enough light for a night attack.
Oil on canvas, 35 × 46 cm
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