“The remnants of an army, Jellalabad, January 13, 1842,” is an artwork created by Elizabeth Thompson in 1879, belonging to the Social Realism art movement. This genre painting, measuring 233.7 x 132.1 cm, captures a historical and poignant scene with meticulous detail and evocative emotion.
In the artwork, a solitary, battle-worn soldier, mounted on a fatigued horse, is depicted returning from an arduous and presumably harrowing campaign. The soldier, clad in tattered uniform and weary expression, embodies the profound struggles and human costs of military conflicts. The backdrop features the fortified city of Jellalabad against a vast, desolate landscape under a muted sky, and distant mountains add to the scene’s somber and reflective atmosphere. The intricate detailing in the horse and rider, as well as the rugged terrain, transports viewers to the historical moment, evoking a deep sense of empathy and contemplation regarding the aftermath of war.
