Robert Alexander Hillingford Landscape Paintings

‘The Lord Chamberlain’s Men performing Love’s Labour’s Lost for Elizabeth I’ by Robert Alexander Hillingford (1825-1904). The Lord Chamberlain’s Men was the foremost theatre company...

‘The Arrest of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette at Varennes’ by Robert Alexander Hillingford (1828-1904). The painting – which depicts the King and Queen of France’s failed attempt to...

‘Advance of the Black Watch’ by Robert Alexander Hillingford (1828-1904). The painting – which depicts infantrymen of the 42nd Royal Highland Regiment of Foot at the Battle of Alma –...

‘Charles I on the Phoenix Tower’ by Robert Alexander Hillingford. The painting – which depicts the King on the fortified city walls of Chester having just witnessed the rout of his a...

Robert Alexander Hillingford British, (1828-1904) Napoleon’s Retreat Oil on canvas, signed Image size: 12.5 inches x 16.25 inches Size including frame: 20.25 inches x 24 inches Ro...

Robert Alexander Hillingford British, (1828-1904) Napoleon’s Return from Exile in Elba Oil on canvas, signed, with inscription on reverse (see image and below for transcript) Image size: 17.5 inches x 23.5 inches Size including frame: 23.75 inches x 29.75 inches Robert Alexander Hillingford was born in London on 28 January, 1828. In 1841, he moved to Germany to study at the Düsseldorf Art Academy. After 5 years of studying he travelled to Italy visiting Rome, Naples and Florence where he met and married his wife Ciara. During this time, he produced paintings of Italian life and one of these ‘The Last Evening of the Carnival’ was exhibited at St. Petersburg in 1859. In 1864, he returned to London where he began to specialise in historical subjects often including battle scenes. He also produced a number of theatrical scenes and contemporary paintings of the Boer War. He lived in Kensington and later at Rowan Road, Hammersmith. Hillingford made his debut at the Royal Academy in 1866 exhibiting there regularly throughout his career. He also exhibited at the British Institution, Royal Society of Artists, Birmingham, Glasgow Institute, Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool, Manchester City Art Gallery, Royal Institute of Oil Painters and Arthur Tooth Gallery. He was known for his close attention to accuracy in details of dress and had a collection of original uniforms. He was Vice President of the Kernoozers Club an organisation for collectors of objets d’art and militaria. He died in Fulham in 1904. This scene captures the moment when Louis XVIII’s troops rallied with Napoleon at Laffrey near Grenoble, following his escape from the island of Elba. Napoleon is seated on his white horse, Marengo in the centre right of the painting with his guards remaining behind him to the far right, their rifles lowered. He is shown opening his coat to a group of Bourbon soldiers on the left, who lay down their arms and take off their Shako helmets to welcome him. After Napoleon’s defeat against the sixth coalition of Britain, Prussia, Austria and Russia and the treaty of Fontainebleau on April the 11th of 1814, he was exiled to the island of Elba. This lead to the restoration of the French monarchy with the accession of Louis XVII, aided by the coalition. Although the King was able to maintain peace, he was not popular and French citizens became dissatisfied with his rule and his treatment of them. At the same time, the conflicting demands of the coalition countries in how to redraw Europe caused them to turn against each other. After only 9 months of forced retirement, Napoleon saw an opportunity to return to power. On 26 February 1815, while the British and French guard...

‘Wellington before Waterloo’ by Robert Alexander Hillingford (1828-1904). The painting – which depicts the Duke of Wellington astride his charger Copenhagen talking to an innkeeper...

This is a large fine 19th century oil painting depicting the Emperor Napoleon entering a Spanish garrison during ‘An Incident in the Peninsular War’ cir...