It depicts the
Battle of Vittoria fought in
Spain on 21 June 1813 during the
Napoleonic Wars. The battle resulted in a decisive victory for
Allied forces led by the
Duke of Wellington, effectively ending the rule of
Napoleon's brother
Joseph Bonaparte over Spain. Wellington is shown mounted on a white
charger and is directing the final assault towards
Vittoria. It is set in the early evening with French troops in disarray while British units including the
Hussars,
Guards and
Rifles are shown in command of the field. George Jones was himself a veteran of the
Peninsular War and went on to become an established artist and member of the
Royal Academy. The work was commissioned by
George IV. Jones also produced a companion piece depicting the
Battle of Waterloo. These were hung together at
St James's Palace in
London along with
De Loutherbourg's
Glorious First of June and
The Battle of Trafalgar by Jones' friend
Turner. However the king disliked the latter and soon had it shifted to
Greenwich Hospital. Both works by Jones remain in the
Royal Collection. . Jones was later commissioned to produce another version of the Battle of Vittoria by
Earl of Egremont, whose son
Henry Wyndham had served under Wellington during the campaign. It is now at
Petworth House in
Sussex. ==References==