Edith Alice Simkins (1870–1949) “Runaway Horses” 1939 Large Oil on Canvas, Early Wwi Cavalry Aftermath Scene

Details

Description

Edith Alice Simkins (1870–1949) “Runaway Horses” 1939 Large Oil on Canvas, Early WWI Cavalry Aftermath Scene

Description
A powerful, museum-scale … Read more Edith Alice Simkins (1870–1949) “Runaway Horses” 1939 Large Oil on Canvas, Early WWI Cavalry Aftermath Scene

Description
A powerful, museum-scale oil on canvas by Edith Alice Simkins, signed and dated 1939, depicting riderless cavalry horses surging through smoke and dust. The composition reads as an aftermath scene rather than a heroic charge—empty saddles and scattered kit shift the narrative toward loss, urgency, and survival. The work is widely associated by visual interpretation with the early Western Front period of WWI (Aug–Sep 1914), often discussed in connection with Charleroi and the Great Retreat.

Historical-context note: Any reference to French Dragoons / Charleroi-era events is offered as interpretive context based on visual analysis. The painting is not inscribed to a specific regiment or named engagement.

Artist
Edith Alice Simkins (1870–1949)
Documented as a member/exhibitor of the Ipswich Art Club (1935–1949). Records also note an exhibited oil titled “After the Charge,” consistent with the historic alternate title sometimes used for this composition.
Medium
Oil on canvas.
Signature
Signed “E. A. Simkins” and dated 1939 (lower corner).

Framing
Presented in a traditional gilt frame, period-appropriate and ready to hang.
Dimensions (Framed)
Height: 87 cm (34.25 in)
Width: 137 cm (53.9 in)
Depth: 4 cm (1.6 in)

Provenance and Exhibition History (Known Record)
Provenance (full known trail and market record)
1939 — Painted by Edith Alice Simkins; recorded in artist references as Runaway Horses (oil on canvas, 73.7 × 124.5 cm). (suffolkartists)
1943 — Exhibition activity record: Simkins is listed exhibiting an oil titled After the Charge (historic alternate title usage). (suffolkartists)
1949–2012 — Private ownership (untraced in public record). No named collectors are disclosed in accessible sources (common for provincial British oils of the period).
13 Jul 2012 — Market record via MutualArt: Runaway Horses (1939), oil on canvas, 29 × 49 in, signed; recorded sale date 13 July 2012 (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 the 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,” auction date 25 January 2022; hammer price not published; approx framed size 53.5" × 34".
May 28, 2023 — MutualArt’s After the Charge entry lists a sale date 28 May 2023 and shows NY Elizabeth Auction in its “Recent Lots” section (market-database reference).
2022–present — Curated by Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD (specialist selection, documentation, and presentation).
Collector note: Auction platforms and market databases typically do not publish buyer identities; accordingly, “named collectors” cannot be responsibly claimed from these records alone.
Exhibition History
Ipswich Art Club (1935–1949) — Edith Alice Simkins is documented as a member/exhibitor. (suffolkartists)
1943 — Exhibited at the Ipswich Art Club, Suffolk — Runaway Horses (exhibited under the title After the Charge). (suffolkartists)
January 2026 — Exhibited at the Lord Hill Museum (state only if supported by documentation such as a catalogue entry, wall label, or museum confirmation).

Why It Works in a Collection
Large-scale statement painting with strong wall presence.
Uncommon WWI narrative emphasis: aftermath and psychological impact rather than ceremony.
Cross-category appeal: military history, equestrian painting, interwar British art. See less