Infantry square in nineteenth-century battle scene painting

The article attempts to describe and characterize the infantry square as a theme in nineteenth-century battle painting. This issue, hitherto not thoroughly addressed in art history literature, is associated with a number of outstanding works by leading battle painters of the nineteenth century. The analysis of paintings, as well as the literary works and historical events influencing their perception, aims to reconstruct the perception of the infantry square in broader society, especially in Britain. A key example and starting point for further discussion is Elizabeth Thompson’s 28th Regiment at Quatre-Bras. An important element of the article is the discussion of the methods used by artists to honour the heroism of soldiers while reflecting on their most important attributes. Demonstrating the complexity of the meanings associated with the infantry square reveals that its role in nineteenth-century painting far exceeded merely illustrating the formation on the battlefield.