2nd Ox & Bucks, Nonne Bosschen, defeating the Prussian Guard 1914 by W

William Barnes Wollen (6 October 1857 – 28 March 1936) was an English

painter Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called the "matrix" or "support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush, but other implements, such as knives, sponges, and ai ...

mostly known for his paintings of battle and historical scenes and sporting events.

Career

Born in

Leipzig Leipzig ( , ; Upper Saxon: ) is the most populous city in the German state of Saxony. Leipzig's population of 605,407 inhabitants (1.1 million in the larger urban zone) as of 2021 places the city as Germany's eighth most populous, as wel ...

on 6 October 1857, he was educated at University College School, London from 1871 to 1873 and also at the

Slade School The UCL Slade School of Fine Art (informally The Slade) is the art school of University College London (UCL) and is based in London, England. It has been ranked as the UK's top art and design educational institution. The school is organised as ...

. From 1879 until 1922, he exhibited pictures at the

Royal Academy The Royal Academy of Arts (RA) is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly in London. Founded in 1768, it has a unique position as an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects. Its pur ...

, National Watercolour Society and elsewhere. His first picture exhibited at the

was entitled "Football" but he followed this up with his first military painting in 1881 entitled "The rescue of Private Andrews by Captain Garnet J. Wolseley, H.M. 90th L.I. at the storming of the Motee Mahail, Lucknow". He was elected a member of the

Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours The Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours (RI), initially called the New Society of Painters in Water Colours, is one of the societies in the Federation of British Artists, based in the Mall Galleries in London. History In 1831 the so ...

in 1888. In 1900, he was commissioned by the new illustrated weekly newspaper, ''

The Sphere ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

'' to act as one of its special artists in

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...

to cover the

Boer War The Second Boer War ( af, Tweede Vryheidsoorlog, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, the Anglo–Boer War, or the South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer Republics (the Sou ...

. His experiences during this war resulted in several paintings including "The Imperial Light Horse at Waggon Hill, January 6, 1900", "The Victoria Cross", and "The 1st Battalion

South Lancashire Regiment The South Lancashire Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army in existence from 1881 to 1958. The regiment, which recruited, as its title suggests, primarily from the South Lancashire area, was created as part of the Childers Ref ...

storming the Boer trenches at Pieter's Hill". The artist also exhibited several scenes during and shortly after

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

depicting that conflict. He lived in London during his career in

Camden Square Camden Square is a rectangular town square in the London Borough of Camden running parallel to Camden Road north of central Camden. It has a playground and dog walking area, and St Paul's Church is at the north end. It has a perimeter of . At ...

and Bedford Park, and died in the city on 28 March 1936 aged 78.

Paintings

* ''News'' (Trooper, 1645) (

National Army Museum The National Army Museum is the British Army's central museum. It is located in the Chelsea district of central London, adjacent to the Royal Hospital Chelsea, the home of the "Chelsea Pensioners". The museum is a non-departmental public body. ...

) * ''Sergeant Ewart capturing the Eagle of the 45th'' (National War Museum,

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...

) * ''The Black Watch (42nd Highlanders_ at Bay, Quatre Bras'' (1894 –

Black Watch Museum Balhousie Castle, located in Perth, Scotland (on Hay Street, originally a few hundred metres north of the medieval town), was built in the 17th century. History The castle was built in 1631, although its origins are believed to go back a further ...

Perth Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of 2.1 million (80% of the state) living in Greater Perth in 2020. Perth is ...

) * '' The Battle of the Roses'' (1895 –

Twickenham Stadium Twickenham Stadium () in Twickenham, south-west London, England, is a rugby union stadium owned by the Rugby Football Union (RFU), English rugby union governing body, which has its headquarters there. The England national rugby union team play ...

) * ''The Battle of Abu Klea, 1885'' (1896 –

) * ''Charge of the 6th Inniskilling Dragoons at the Battle of Tournay'' (1897 –

Royal Dragoon Guards The Royal Dragoon Guards (RDG) is a cavalry regiment of the British Army. It was formed in 1992 by the amalgamation of two other regiments: The 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards and the 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards. Based in Battlesbury Bar ...

) * ''The Last Stand of the 44th Regiment at Gundamuck, 1842'' (1898 –

Essex Regiment The Essex Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army in existence from 1881 to 1958. The regiment served in many conflicts such as the Second Boer War and both World War I and World War II, serving with distinction in all three. ...

Association, on loan

* ''The 21st (Empress of India's) Lancers at Omdurman'' (1899 –

Staff College Staff colleges (also command and staff colleges and War colleges) train military officers in the administrative, military staff and policy aspects of their profession. It is usual for such training to occur at several levels in a career. For ex ...

Camberley Camberley is a town in the Borough of Surrey Heath in Surrey, England, approximately south-west of Central London. The town is in the far west of the county, close to the borders of Hampshire and Berkshire. Once part of Windsor Forest, Cambe ...

) * ''The Victoria Cross'' (Colesberg, South Africa, 1900) (1901 –

Durban Durban ( ) ( zu, eThekwini, from meaning 'the port' also called zu, eZibubulungwini for the mountain range that terminates in the area), nicknamed ''Durbs'',Ishani ChettyCity nicknames in SA and across the worldArticle on ''news24.com'' from ...

Art Museum) * ''The Imperial Light Horse at Elandslaagte'' (1902 – Light Horse Regiment Association,

Johannesburg Johannesburg ( , , ; Zulu and xh, eGoli ), colloquially known as Jozi, Joburg, or "The City of Gold", is the largest city in South Africa, classified as a megacity, and is one of the 100 largest urban areas in the world. According to Demo ...

, on loan

Africana Museum Museum Africa or MuseuMAfricA (formerly known as the Africana Museum) is an historical museum in Newtown, Johannesburg, South Africa. History The museum was established in 1933, when the Johannesburg Public Library bought a large quantity of ...

) * ''The 1st Battalion, South Lancashire Regiment storming the Boer Trenches at Pieter's Hill'' (1903 –

Queen's Lancashire Regiment The Queen's Lancashire Regiment (30th, 40th, 47th, 59th, 81st and 82nd Regiments of Foot) (QLR) was an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the King's Division. It was formed on 25 March 1970 at Connaught Barracks in Dover through ...

) * ''Guardians of the Law'' (English dragoons in Scotland) (

Nuneaton Nuneaton ( ) is a market town in the borough of Nuneaton and Bedworth in northern Warwickshire, England, close to the county border with Leicestershire and West Midlands County.OS Explorer Map 232 : Nuneaton & Tamworth: (1:25 000) : Nuneaton's ...

Museum and Art Gallery) * ''The Scouts ''(A patrol of the 10th Light Dragoons, Peninsular War) (1905 – HorsePower: The Museum of the King's Royal Hussars) * ''Ambushed'' (English cavalry on road, 18th century) (1907 –

Sunderland Sunderland () is a port city in Tyne and Wear, England. It is the City of Sunderland's administrative centre and in the Historic counties of England, historic county of County of Durham, Durham. The city is from Newcastle-upon-Tyne and is on t ...

Art Gallery) * ''Britain's Watchdogs, 1805'' (Napoleon with officers on coast) (1909 –

Mappin Art Gallery Weston Park Museum is a museum in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. It is one mile west of Sheffield city centre within Weston Park. It is Sheffield's largest museum and is housed in a Grade II* listed building and managed by Museums Sheffi ...

Sheffield Sheffield is a city status in the United Kingdom, city in South Yorkshire, England, whose name derives from the River Sheaf which runs through it. The city serves as the administrative centre of the City of Sheffield. It is Historic counties o ...

) * ''The First Fight for Independence, Lexington Common, April 19, 1775'' (1910 –

) * ''The Flag, Albuera, May 16, 1811'' (1912 –

) * ''Landrecies, 25 August 1914'' (1915 –

* ''Defeat of the Prussian Guard, Ypres, 1914'' (1915 –

Royal Green Jackets The Royal Green Jackets (RGJ) was an infantry regiment of the British Army, one of two "large regiments" within the Light Division (the other being The Light Infantry). History The Royal Green Jackets was formed on 1 January 1966 by the amalgama ...

) * ''The Canadians at Ypres'' (1915 –

Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI, generally referred to as the Patricia's) is one of the three Regular Force infantry regiments of the Canadian Army of the Canadian Armed Forces. Formed in 1914, it is named for Princess Patrici ...

Calgary Calgary ( ) is the largest city in the western Canadian province of Alberta and the largest metro area of the three Prairie Provinces. As of 2021, the city proper had a population of 1,306,784 and a metropolitan population of 1,481,806, makin ...

) * ''The London Territorials at Pozieres'' (1917 –

* ''A Canadian Battalion capturing a German Trench at Vimy'' (1917 –

Royal Canadian Military Institute The Royal Canadian Military Institute (RCMI) is a private members’ organization located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was founded as the Canadian Military Institute on January 14, 1890. General Sir William Dillon Otter set the founding princ ...

) * ''Semper Fidelis: The last stand of the 2nd Devons at Bois des Buttes, May 27, 1918'' (1920 – Devon and Dorset Regiment)

Gallery

File:Battle of Albuhera, by William Barnes Wollen.jpg, "The Flag

Battle of Albuera The Battle of Albuera (16 May 1811) was a battle during the Peninsular War. A mixed British, Spanish and Portuguese corps engaged elements of the French Armée du Midi (Army of the South) at the small Spanish village of Albuera, about south ...

, Albuera, May 16, 1811" File:Abu Klea .jpg, "The Battle of

Abu Klea The Battle of Abu Klea, or the Battle of Abu Tulayh took place between the dates of 16 and 18 January 1885, at Abu Klea, Sudan, between the British Desert Column and Mahdist forces encamped near Abu Klea. The Desert Column, a force of approxi ...

" Image:Coldstream Guards by W.B. Wollen.jpg, "

Coldstream Guards The Coldstream Guards is the oldest continuously serving regular regiment in the British Army. As part of the Household Division, one of its principal roles is the protection of the monarchy; due to this, it often participates in state ceremonia ...

on parade in ceremonial uniform" Image:Coldstream Guards, Western Front, 1914 by W. B. Wollen.jpg, "

in France, 1914" File:Coldstreams Guards at Diamond Hill.jpg, "The Charge of the CIV's and Coldstreams at the

Battle of Diamond Hill The Battle of Diamond Hill (Donkerhoek) () was an engagement of the Second Boer War that took place on 11 and 12 June 1900 in central Transvaal. Background The Boer forces retreated to the east by the time the capital of the South African ...

Written works

* Wollen, W.B., "Christmas at the Front: A reminiscence of Christmas at Modder River," ''Cassell's Magazine'', Dec. 1900 – May 1901, pp. 112–115.

Notes

References

Bibliography

* Harrington, Peter. (1993). ''British Artists and War: The Face of Battle in Paintings and Prints, 1700–1914.'' London: Greenhill. * "War Pictures. How they are painted," ''The Regiment'', 15 February 1902, pp. 308–309. {{DEFAULTSORT:Wollen, William Barnes 1857 births 1936 deaths 19th-century English painters English male painters 20th-century English painters British war artists Artists' Rifles soldiers World War I artists 19th-century war artists Members of the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours Members of the Royal Institute of Oil Painters English illustrators British illustrators British children's book illustrators Magazine illustrators 20th-century English male artists 19th-century English male artists