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Outpost duty at El Gubat. Night.

William S. Perry

1886

watercolor

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

Impressionism Realism Late 19th Century Marine

Dominant colour

Outpost duty at El Gubat. Night. is a 1886 watercolor by William S. Perry, a Impressionism work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.

Who painted this?: William S. Perry
When & what style?: 1886 · Impressionism
Where can I see it?: Victoria and Albert Museum

About this work

This painting shows two soldiers at night. One stands in the foreground, holding a rifle and wearing a dark uniform with a helmet. The other sits in the background, also in uniform. The sky is dark with a few stars, and the ground looks rough and uneven. The standing soldier’s face is blurred, making him look like a shadow. The artist used mostly dark colors, which makes the scene feel quiet and serious. If you like this style, check out Realism for more paintings that focus on real-life scenes.

The story of this work

Overview

The artwork titled *Outpost duty at El Gubat. Night.* is a watercolour drawing by William S. Perry, created in 1886. It depicts a scene from the British Campaign in Egypt of 1882 and the Nile Expedition of 1884–85, part of a series of 27 works illustrating military operations. The piece reflects contemporary accounts and illustrations published in *The Illustrated London News* and *The Graphic* during the same period. Comparable sketches by Count Gleichen and O. Norie also document similar military scenes from this campaign.

Read the full account in the museum source.

About the artist

Artist

William S. Perry

A British watercolour artist active in the 1880s, William S. Perry painted scenes from Egypt’s military outposts in vivid, portable washes. His sheets include Outpost duty at El Gubat. Night. (1886) and Outpost duty at…

See the richer artist page