alfred munnings war horse: Warrior Warrior was the equine hero of WWI and Munnings, based with the Canadian Calvary, was the artist who immortalised him on canvass The original war horse Warrior, who belonged to General James Seeley, the grand-father of Brough Scott, led one of the last ever war-time cavalry charges, at Moreuil Woodon on the banks of the Avre river in France. The subsequent victory secured the river bank, and helped to stem the German Spring Offensive of 1918. “He was determined to go forward,” said Seely of his charger, after they had crossed the bridge and come up out of the hollow, “and with a great leap started off. All sensation of fear had vanished from him as he galloped on at racing speed. There was a hail of bullets from the enemy as we crossed the intervening space and mounted the hill, but Warrior cared for nothing.”
Warrior’s Timeline 1908 spring Warrior born at Yafford, Isle of Wight 1914: August 11 Warrior lands at Le Havre to join the Allies on the Western Front 1915: February Warrior returns to the UK to join Canadian Cavalry on Salisbury plain 1915: May 5 Warrior first off boat in Boulogne 1915: Warrior with Canadian Cavalry in the trenches near Ypres 1916: July 1 Warrior in Battle of the Somme 1917: March Warrior in cavalry attack at Guyencourt 1917: September Warrior stuck in mud at Passchendaele 1917: November Warrior in front line of big Cambrai attack 1918: February Alfred Munnings arrives to paint the already legendary Warrior 1918: March 21 Last great German offensive. The Canadian Cavalry start circular retreat 1918: March 30 Warrior leads vital charge at Moreuil Wood near Amiens 1918: April 1 Seely gassed – Warrior stays as Patterson’s charger 1918: December Warrior back to Brooke for Christmas 1919: July 19 Victory Parade in Hyde Park 1922: 30 March Warrior wins Isle of Wight point-topoint four years to the day since he led the Moreuil charge 1934: War Veteran Show at Olympia Munnings at Mottistone to paint Warrior for book 1938: Warrior and Seely ride – 100 year combined ages 1941: Easter Warrior dies at Mottistone
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strokes to show sunlight’s ever-changing shimmering patterns of light and shadow, yet with draughtsman’s precision and sensitivity, he captures the elegance of the face lost in thought. In “Langham Mill”, a scene that Constable recorded centuries before, Munnings uses techniques from Monet’s impressionist era to capture late afternoon sun as it highlights the tips of lush vegetation seen in the pond and surrounding trees. The flurry of brush strokes defines the pond grasses and trees and creates the feeling of movement as if the wind blows across the scene. The sun-tipped Constable-like clouds, billowing behind the poplars, gather strength for an approaching storm. One can feel the damp air and tension of the encroaching turbulence. Munnings’s impressionist colour palette, quick handling of paint and his fascination with light’s effects – whether light was articulating every muscle in a lithe equine body, defining the gleam and texture of jockeys’ silks, describing a lazy summer’s afternoon or an anticipated storm – brought Munnings to a superlative level of artistry by no means limited to horses. His extraordinary ability to capture the movement and grace of the Thoroughbred and the colour, action and drama of the racing scene established him as the supreme virtuoso of the equine image and spirit. However, in recent years, Munnings has
finally been regarded as much more than a sporting painter and his non-equestrian works are fully appreciated for their undeniable mastery. It is now recognised that Sir Alfred Munnings maintains a distinguished position amongst both Britain’s acclaimed portrait and landscape artists, as well as among the great masters of British impressionist painting.
Top, Warrior was painted by Munnings on many occasions and the illustrations are reproduced in the book of the same name. The exploits of the brave horse were chronicled by General James Seely. Left, Langham Mill: in this picture Munnings uses impressionist influences to create light on the water and movement in the clouds