''Floreat Etona!'' is an 1882 painting by Elizabeth Thompson, Lady Butler. The title is the motto of

Eton College Eton College ( ) is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school providing boarding school, boarding education for boys aged 13–18, in the small town of Eton, Berkshire, Eton, in Berkshire, in the United Kingdom. It has educated Prime Mini ...

, "may Eton flourish". The painting depicts an incident that took place in 1881, during the

First Boer War The First Boer War (, ), was fought from 16 December 1880 until 23 March 1881 between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom and Boers of the Transvaal (as the South African Republic was known while under British ad ...

. It is held now in a private collection. The work depicts Lieutenant Robert Elwes of the

Grenadier Guards The Grenadier Guards (GREN GDS) is the most senior infantry regiment of the British Army, being at the top of the Infantry Order of Precedence. It can trace its lineage back to 1656 when Lord Wentworth's Regiment was raised in Bruges to protect ...

, who was killed at the

Battle of Laing's Nek The Battle of Laing's Nek was a major battle fought at Laing's Nek during the First Boer War on 28 January 1881. Background Following the Boer declaration of independence for the Transvaal in 1880 the British suffered a series of disastrous d ...

on 28 January 1881. The British Army was attempting to force its way through a pass in the Drakensberg Mountains, when Elwes joined a hopeless frontal assault into the teeth of a formidable Boer defence, charging up a hill on horseback. He reportedly encouraged another Eton old boy, adjutant of the 58th Regiment of Foot, with a shout of "Come along Monck! Floreat Etona! We must be in the front rank!" immediately before he was shot and killed. Elwes was one of 83 killed and 11 wounded. Monck survived the battle. The painting shows two mounted British officers in blue patrol jackets, with swords drawn, leading red-coated infantry in a charge towards the viewer. The horse to the right (bearing Monck) is stumbling, and the officer to the left (Elwes) shouts encouragement. In the background, a Queen's Colour is visible – this attack was the last time a British battalion carried its colours into action – along with the flat-topped mountain of Majuba in

Natal NATAL or Natal may refer to: Places * Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, a city in Brazil * Natal, South Africa (disambiguation), a region in South Africa ** Natalia Republic, a former country (1839–1843) ** Colony of Natal, a former British colony ( ...

. The painting measures . It was shown at the

Royal Academy Summer Exhibition The Summer Exhibition is an open art exhibition held annually by the Royal Academy in Burlington House, Piccadilly in central London, England, during the months of June, July, and August. The exhibition includes paintings, prints, drawings, sc ...

in 1882. Unusually for Lady Butler, the painting was not a critical success, perhaps because it commemorates a minor and unsuccessful incident in an unregarded war. Some critics thought the painting was too sentimental. The painting was sold at Christie's in London in June 2007 for £50,400.

External links

Christies
June 2007
The Transvaal Rebellion: The First Boer War, 1880-1881
John Laband, p. 1-2, 8
Imperialism and Popular Culture
edited by John M. MacKenzie, p. 66-67 {{DEFAULTSORT:Floreat Etona! 1882 paintings Paintings by Elizabeth Thompson Horses in art War paintings First Boer War