Britse militair 1875 - 1925

This print of a British military officer was made by Richard Simkin, who died in 1926. The medium appears to be watercolor with pen and ink, a common choice for commercial illustration at the time. Simkin's original works were often reproduced as chromolithographs, a popular printing technique that allowed for mass production. The level of detail he achieved is impressive, from the fine lines defining the horse's muscles to the intricate embroidery on the officer's uniform. These works were designed for a specific purpose: to celebrate the military and project an image of British power and imperial reach. Simkin's illustrations provided a window into a highly stratified society, one built on industrial labor and colonial exploitation. While his images celebrate military prowess, they also remind us of the often-unseen hands that produced the uniforms, weapons, and infrastructure of the British Empire. The print invites us to consider the complex relationship between artistic representation, imperial power, and the everyday lives of those who served.