1874, Albert Maignan, Departure of the Norman Fleet for the Conquest of England, Dives 1066 -- National Gallery of Art (Washington) (special exhibition)
From the museum/exhibition label:
Salon 1874, no. 1249
This painting depicts the beginning of William the Conqueror's campaign to invade England and claim the throne he believed rightfully belonged to him. Following his victory over the Anglo-Saxon armies at the Battle of Hastings in 1066, he was crowned King William I.
Instead of showing the military exploits of William and his forces, Maignan took a less-conventional approach by turning his attention to the loved ones they left behind. Gathered on the Normandy coast, they watch the ships depart with a mixture of anxiety, longing, and fierce pride, aware that their men might never return. Such a poignant scene resonated deeply with viewers in the wake of the Franco-Prussian War.
1874, Albert Maignan, Departure of the Norman Fleet for the Conquest of England, Dives 1066 -- National Gallery of Art (Washington) (special exhibition)
From the museum/exhibition label:
Salon 1874, no. 1249
This painting depicts the beginning of William the Conqueror's campaign to invade England and claim the throne he believed rightfully belonged to him. Following his victory over the Anglo-Saxon armies at the Battle of Hastings in 1066, he was crowned King William I.
Instead of showing the military exploits of William and his forces, Maignan took a less-conventional approach by turning his attention to the loved ones they left behind. Gathered on the Normandy coast, they watch the ships depart with a mixture of anxiety, longing, and fierce pride, aware that their men might never return. Such a poignant scene resonated deeply with viewers in the wake of the Franco-Prussian War.