GRAVÜR DÜNYASI
Digital Engraving Library
| Artist | William Simpson (1823–1899) |
| Engraver | Edmund Walker (1814-1882) |
| Date | 1856 |
| Technique | Lithography, Sepia-toned |
| Category | Military |
| Source | The Campaign in the Crimea: An Historical Sketch by George Brackenbury, London, Published Oct. 1, 1856 by Paul & Dominic Colnaghi & Co., Day & Son Lithographers to the Queen |
This engraving realistically and strikingly depicts the night artillery clash during the Siege of Sevastopol during the Crimean War, with the play of light and shadow and the dynamism of the figures. British soldiers are depicted firing large-caliber rifled cannons, probably 68-pounders, or howitzers, at the Russian defensive lines in the darkness of night. Flames and gunpowder smoke are in the center of the composition, and feverish haste and fatigue dominate around the cannons. The engraving provides valuable iconographic data on 19th-century military technology and siege life, with military uniforms, equipment and the internal arrangement of the battery shown in great detail. The engraving's artist, William Simpson, was a painter and engraver sent to the war zones for The Illustrated London News during the Crimean War.
