THE ADVANCING ARMY

HENRIK AUGUST ANKARCRONA BEGAN HIS MILITARY CAREER SERVING WITH THE FRENCH ARMY IN MOROCCO IN 1859 AND WENT ON TO FIGHT WITH THE SPANISH ARMY THE FOLLOWING YEAR BEFORE RETURNING TO HIS NATIVE SWEDEN. IT WAS ONLY THEN THAT HE BEGAN TO PAINT. INSPIRED BY HIS EXPERIENCES HE PAINTED CANVASES DEPICTING THE MOST IMPOSING DESERT LANDSCAPES HE HAD ENCOUNTERED IN NORTH AFRICA. IN THIS PAINTING, ARGUABLY ONE OF THE MOST IMPRESSIVE ANKARCRONA PRODUCED, THE ARMY AND ITS ACCOMPANYING ARAB CONTINGENT MOVE THROUGHT THE VAST EMPTINESS OF THE DESERT, BATTLING AGAINST BOTH THE HARSH SUN ABOVE AND THE RUGGED GROUND BENEATH. THE ARTIST HAD CREATED A SUPERB CONTRAST OF COLOUR BETWEEN THE INFERTILITY OF THE LANDSCAPE, THE INTENSITY OF THE SKY AND THE RICHNESS OF THE COSTUMES AND UNIFORMS OF THE TRAVELLERS.