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Description: | Signed FERN BESNIER Août 1914 lower right in the plate printed P SCHNEIDER & GE-IMP lower right below printed washlines
outside image 6.80 PASSAGE DU CAIRE PARIS lower left below printed washlines outside image
image: A panoramic view of the defence of Liége. To left of centre of the composition stands King Albert facing the
viewer. To his left and right he is surrounded by nine staff officers, one seated at a map table before him. Standing to the left side of
the table is General Léman, a dispatch in his right hand. In the immediate centre foreground, four mounted officers canter past their King
and his party, their backs and horses' rears facing the viewer. All wear regulation dark blue uniforms, képis and top boots. Two officers
to the left of the king wear red breeches. The Belgium flag flies defiantly behind the party to the left. To the right of the
composition, Belgian cavalry and artillery, their backs to us, move up the line to join the infantry and an advancing German army in the
distance. The whole of the plain in the background is covered with white puffs of artillery fire. The plate is surrounded by three sepia
washlines; on the top margin placed centrally is the legend GUERRE LIBÉRATRICE DE 1914 set in Roman caps. At centre bottom margin, the
title (see above) set in sans-serif caps.
Text: 'Cette estampe est la Première d'une Collection qui paraîtra durant la guerre.' To the left of the margin set in an italic face.
'The governor of Liége, General Léman makes a heroic stand against the Barbarians. 40,000 Belgians commanded by King Albert I himself,
holds back a German horde of 120,000 men for four days inflicting upon them enormous losses (about 25,000 men). For this glorious feat,
the Cross of the Legion of Honour was conferred upon the city of Liége. The Kaiser's treacherous plot of descending upon Paris which he
thought he could take in fifteen days has also been delayed.' To the right of the margin, set in Roman face. | Publisher: | http://www.iwm.org.uk | Subjects: | Belgian Army Gérard Mathieu Animals Death Landscape The Defence of Liége (Belgium) August 1914 flag / banner / standard King of Belgium trench / defences equestrian Imperial German Army Action Albert I Military Personnel portrait / personification Uniforms Leman Artillery | Source: | Imperial War Museum | Creator: | Besnier, Fernand | Identifier: | http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/o... | Go to resource |
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