Oil Painting by Edith Alice Simkins (1870–1949) — Runaway Horses

Edith Alice Simkins (1870–1949) — Runaway Horses

Oil on canvas | Early WWI cavalry retreat scene (believed French Dragoons) | Western Front context (Charleroi / Great Retreat era)

A large, dramatic oil painting by Edith Alice Simkins, signed and dated 1939, depicting a chaotic cavalry aftermath scene with riderless horses surging through smoke and dust. The subject is believed (based on visual interpretation) to reference French cavalry Dragoons during the opening Western Front campaign of August–September 1914, in the Charleroi / “Great Retreat” period. This identification is offered as historical context; the painting is not inscribed to a specific engagement.

Subject and medium

Medium: Oil on canvas

Subject: Riderless horses in flight, battlefield smoke, retreat/disarray atmosphere

Period reference: Early WWI (Western Front), Charleroi-era context (interpretive)

Composition and technique

Simkins frames the scene as an “after” moment rather than a heroic charge. The central chestnut horse drives forward in full flight, with carefully observed musculature and tack, conveying urgency and fear. To the right, a white horse rears to introduce a strong vertical accent, while additional riderless mounts surge into the middle distance through dust and smoke. The damaged landscape and broken treeline intensify the sense of pressure and retreat.

A key narrative decision elevates this beyond decorative military imagery: no riders remain. Empty saddles and scattered kit shift the focus to the horses as witnesses of catastrophe, making the work read as a psychological study of conflict and survival rather than pageantry.

Historical context (interpretive)

The work is believed to evoke the opening Western Front phase of WWI—late August 1914—often discussed in connection with Charleroi and the unfolding Great Retreat. Rather than illustrating a charge, Simkins emphasises the moment when cavalry tradition collides with modern firepower and the scene becomes flight, loss, and disarray—an interpretation aligned with the documented alternate historic title “After the Charge.”

About the artist

Edith Alice Simkins is documented as a member and exhibitor of the Ipswich Art Club (1935–1949). The same reference record notes that in 1943 she exhibited an oil titled “After the Charge,” supporting the historic alternate title associated with this work. Her market visibility is further reinforced by appearances at major venues, including Christie’s, which has offered a signed Simkins oil (A Bay Hunter, dated 1921).

Signature

Signed: “E. A. Simkins”

Dated: 1939 (lower corner)

Frame and presentation

Presented in a traditional gilt frame, offering strong wall presence and period-appropriate presentation.

Dimensions (framed)

Height: 87 cm

Width: 137 cm

Depth: 4 cm

Provenance and documented record (as available)

1939: Painted by Edith Alice Simkins; recorded in artist references as Runaway Horses (oil on canvas, 73.7 × 124.5 cm).

1943: Exhibition activity record lists Simkins exhibiting an oil titled After the Charge (supports alternate historic title usage).

1949–2012: Private ownership (untraced in public record).

13 Jul 2012: Market record via MutualArt: Runaway Horses (1939), oil on canvas, 29 × 49 in, signed; sale date recorded (sale details subscriber-only).

30 Jun 2021: Reeman Dansie: offered under the alternate title After the Charge (paired lot); catalogue note states it is believed these works were exhibited with Ipswich Art Club in 1942 and 1943.

25 Jan 2022: Hatton Garden Auctions Ltd (London) via The Saleroom: catalogued as “LARGE OIL PAINTING OF BATTLE SCENE BY E A SIMKINS 1939”; hammer price not published; approx frame size 53.5" × 34".

2022–present: Curated by Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD (specialist selection, documentation, and presentation).

Collector note: Auction platforms and market databases typi

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