Prince Imperial and 17th Lancers escort by Malet.

Posts : 2881 Join date : 2010-06-02

This one is new to me, up for auction at Haynault Ventes Publique in Brussels 26 March.

H. MALET (19TH CENTURY) - Escort of the 17th English lancer transporting the remains of the imperial prince Napoleon IV.
Watercolor on paper, depicting the scene of the transport of the Imperial Prince Louis Napoleon's remains, deceased in Zululand on May 31, 1879, as lieutenant in the British Army. Signed H. Malet and dated 1880 at bottom left. Provenance: Antique tag on the back: "Collection Farnborough, cat. n°977, collection of Mr D. - Le prince Impérial mort."

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Steve Reinstadtler

Posts : 918 Join date : 2011-10-21 Location : Algoa Bay

Hi Rusteze,

A nicely presented picture.
Some observations however.
The NMP escort with their white helmets are clearly visible, but so are what appear to be palm fronds in the fore ground.
Puzzling is the absence in the picture of typical central Zululand flora, ie thornveld acacia trees, any aloes , erythrina caffra or tamboekie grass. Perhaps artistic licence is applying here and the artist is confusing Zululand with the Sudan.

regards

barry

Good morning Barry,

I know you are partisan but which figures do you think are N.M.P.?

I can see 17th Lancers, what appear to be K.D.G.’s and irregular cavalry including N.N.H., but I can’t see any N.M.P. in the watercolour.

As far as I am aware the N.M.P. provided the escort to the Prince Imperial’s body between PMB and Durban, but I’m happy to be corrected.

Regards,

JY