This painting depicts the famous charge of the Scots Greys at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. It was painted by Lady Elizabeth Butler in 1881, and can be seen at the Leeds Art Gallery in Yorkshire, England. The canvas is just over 3 feet high by 6.5 feet wide.
Like many paintings of wartime action, the charge is romanticised by the painter. In reality, it was part of a relatively slow attack by all the British Heavy Cavalry that day, and the Scots Greys suffered terrible casualties as a result of being attacked in turn by French Lancers. But the details of the horses and soldiers are excellent, and the sense of motion and movement in the painting makes the viewer feel as if they are standing in front of the oncoming cavalry.
One click on the photo will enlarge it to fullscreen.
beetleypete 
A great action painting. I am sure I must have seen it, as I’ve visited the Leeds Gallery more than once. Thanks, Pete. (And, yes, romanticised, indeed).
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One of my friends has a very large print of it in his house. It is impressive when you see it like that.
Best wishes, Pete.
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The horses look as they know what’s coming better than their riders do.
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I’m sure the noise of battle must have terrified them, Liz.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Yes, I’d expect so.
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I had to jump out of the way, but then realized, “It’s only a painting!” (Whew!)
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It does get you like that. One of my friends has a very large print of it hanging in his house and it definitely gives that effect.
Best wishes, Pete.
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The colors are marvelous!
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The sky fascinates me too. An accurate representation of the weather on the actual day of the battle.
Best wishes, Pete.
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The detail is amazing, Pete.
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It is famous here, but always worth a second (or more) look.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Yes, certainly romanticised but what an incredible painting. She must have known a lot about horses. You can see the terror in their eyes. It brings attention to the madness of warfare, lives thrown away so carelessly. The insanity of the human species.
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Incredible indeed. Thanks, Carolyn.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Thank you for including the size of the canvas. I can see where one would feel as if standing in front of the oncoming charge. This painting is fantastic.
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It really is, Jennie, and rightly famous in Britain.
Best wishes, Pete.
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I can picture the majesty with your post, so thank you for that.
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It makes me thingk ‘poor horses’!
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Yes, horses were almost ‘disposable’ during those wars, and those that were killed provided meat for the surviving soldiers, I expect.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Me too. And did the artist get trampled? Warmest regards, Ed
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Excellent painting chuq
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It’s certainly full of atmosphere, chuq.
Best wishes, Pete.
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A most powerful piece!
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It really is, it almost makes you duck!
Best wishes, Pete.
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intense!
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It gets that feeling across perfectly.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Not one of my favourite subjects, but it is a very skilfully-produced painting. Cheers, Jon.
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Military and battlefield paintings often have lots of small details that interest me, Jon.
Best wishes, Pete.
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The energy simply pours off of the canvas!
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It really does, I agree.
Best wishes, Pete.
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The fear in the horses eyes. This is a terrific painting.
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She captured the terrors of close combat so well, for the horses and men.
Best wishes, Pete.
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the look on the horses faces!
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You can only imagine the fear of the horses, and the incredible noise surrounding them. She really caught that atmosphere.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Indeed!
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