Hussard 1847 - 1890

John-Lewis Brown created this print, “Hussard,” likely in France during the second half of the 19th century. It depicts a soldier on horseback, rendered in stark black and white. The figure of the Hussard, a light cavalryman, carries with it a weight of cultural baggage. They were often romanticized figures, associated with bravery, honor, and a certain swashbuckling attitude. Brown’s artistic training at the École des Beaux-Arts certainly would have exposed him to the military and equestrian imagery that glorified France’s Imperial past. This piece, however, seems to offer a more sober reflection on military life. The use of stark contrasts creates a somber tone and a sense of isolation, which suggests a less glamorous and more reflective view of the soldier’s role. To fully understand this print, one might delve into military histories, popular prints, and even fashion plates of the period, to reconstruct how the image of the Hussard functioned in the French imagination. Ultimately, the meaning of this artwork lies in its complex relationship to the society that produced it, a society still grappling with the aftershocks of revolution and empire.