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Lot Essay
This is a preliminary version, probably painted en plein air during the dress rehearsal for the actual ceremony, for a commissioned work in the possession of the Life Guards Serving Officers' Trust. In his biography, Munnings devotes a whole chapter to this topic, beginning 'In spite of my noble intentions to devote the splendour of the Household Cavalry, their band and drummers, I made no further attempts until 1927. In that year I was asked by an officer leaving the regiment to paint a picture commemorating the presentation by King George V of the new standards to the Household Cavalry. The officer wished to give the picture to the Mess. All the help I desired was given. Early one morning I saw the full-dress State rehearsal - a sight for the gods in the absence of the public. Black horses, burnished steel cuirasses, plumed helmets and swords, glittering in the morning sun; the bright light, with the strains of martial music glorified the pompous ceremony - the blazonry of colour... Who would not feel exhalted, seeing rows of gold-coated bandsmen playing a stirring march as they passed by on their grey steeds, some white, some almost white, others dapple-grey; their arching necks, moved by the massed music around them, seemingly conscious of the glory and display?' (A.J. Munnings, The Second Burst, Bungay, 1951, p. 300).
The larger painting entitled Presentation of New Standards to the Life Guards by the late King George V (44 x 57 in.) was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1930, no. 140 and subsequently in 1956, no. 166 (fig. 1). This larger version includes the figure of King George V on a chestnut charger. Another version exists entitled Trooping the Life Guards' Colour (35 x 42 in.) which is in the collection at Cottesbrooke Hall, Northamptonshire.
The present work shows the Sovereign's Standard (flag) of The Life Guards carried by a Warrant Officer, probably the Regimental Corporal Major J.A. Sykes who started in the post in February 1927. RCM Sykes is passing musicians from the Massed Mounted Bands of the Household Cavalry (seen in the gold uniforms on the grey horses). The Household Cavalry is comprised of The Life Guards and, in the right-hand background, The Royal Horse Guards (also called the Blues and Royals). The two regiments are distinguished by their uniforms - the Life Guards wear the red tunics with white helmet plumes while the Blues wear blue tunics with red plumes. The Life Guards were gentlemen who went into exile to Holland, acting as a personal body guard for King Charles II, and were officially formed in 1660. The Royal Horse Guards, originally called the Royal Regiment of the Horse, were formed in 1661. The Royal Regiment of the Horse merged with the Royal Dragoons in 1969 and is now called the Blues and Royals.
The Presentation of Standards ceremony is a private event in which the Sovereign presents a 'flag' or Standard to the Household Cavalry. The foundation of The Presentation of Standards ceremony is based on the Trooping the Colour, seen during the Sovereign's Birthday Parade, in which the regimental flag, 'standard' or 'colour' is presented by the Sovereign who is also the Colonel-in-Chief. The Standard is then carried or 'trooped' down the ranks so that it can be identified and recognized as a rallying point in battle by the respective regiments. Standards are only carried by the Household Cavalry whereas all other cavalry regiments carry Guidons. All infantry regiments including the Foot Guards carry Colours.
The brown and white drum horse carrying the regiment's kettle drums seen behind the Warrant Officer is probably the shire horse named Paddy. Paddy was featured in one of Munnings' largest works, The Drummer of His Majesty's First Life Guards (The Life Guards Serving Officers' Trust), exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1922. The horse and rider, the kettledrummer Musician Carter, are situated outside the eastern front of Buckingham Palace, looking north across Green Park to Piccadilly. It was considered a great success when exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1922 and now is regarded as the most impressive work in the Household Cavalry collection.
The date 1927 is significant because it was the first time that the ceremony took place on Horse Guards Parade at Whitehall in London. The regiments of the Household Cavalry have received new Standards every ten years since then with interruptions only during World War II.
This work is to be included in Lorian Peralta-Ramos' forthcoming catalogue raisonné of the works of Sir Alfred Munnings.
The larger painting entitled Presentation of New Standards to the Life Guards by the late King George V (44 x 57 in.) was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1930, no. 140 and subsequently in 1956, no. 166 (fig. 1). This larger version includes the figure of King George V on a chestnut charger. Another version exists entitled Trooping the Life Guards' Colour (35 x 42 in.) which is in the collection at Cottesbrooke Hall, Northamptonshire.
The present work shows the Sovereign's Standard (flag) of The Life Guards carried by a Warrant Officer, probably the Regimental Corporal Major J.A. Sykes who started in the post in February 1927. RCM Sykes is passing musicians from the Massed Mounted Bands of the Household Cavalry (seen in the gold uniforms on the grey horses). The Household Cavalry is comprised of The Life Guards and, in the right-hand background, The Royal Horse Guards (also called the Blues and Royals). The two regiments are distinguished by their uniforms - the Life Guards wear the red tunics with white helmet plumes while the Blues wear blue tunics with red plumes. The Life Guards were gentlemen who went into exile to Holland, acting as a personal body guard for King Charles II, and were officially formed in 1660. The Royal Horse Guards, originally called the Royal Regiment of the Horse, were formed in 1661. The Royal Regiment of the Horse merged with the Royal Dragoons in 1969 and is now called the Blues and Royals.
The Presentation of Standards ceremony is a private event in which the Sovereign presents a 'flag' or Standard to the Household Cavalry. The foundation of The Presentation of Standards ceremony is based on the Trooping the Colour, seen during the Sovereign's Birthday Parade, in which the regimental flag, 'standard' or 'colour' is presented by the Sovereign who is also the Colonel-in-Chief. The Standard is then carried or 'trooped' down the ranks so that it can be identified and recognized as a rallying point in battle by the respective regiments. Standards are only carried by the Household Cavalry whereas all other cavalry regiments carry Guidons. All infantry regiments including the Foot Guards carry Colours.
The brown and white drum horse carrying the regiment's kettle drums seen behind the Warrant Officer is probably the shire horse named Paddy. Paddy was featured in one of Munnings' largest works, The Drummer of His Majesty's First Life Guards (The Life Guards Serving Officers' Trust), exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1922. The horse and rider, the kettledrummer Musician Carter, are situated outside the eastern front of Buckingham Palace, looking north across Green Park to Piccadilly. It was considered a great success when exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1922 and now is regarded as the most impressive work in the Household Cavalry collection.
The date 1927 is significant because it was the first time that the ceremony took place on Horse Guards Parade at Whitehall in London. The regiments of the Household Cavalry have received new Standards every ten years since then with interruptions only during World War II.
This work is to be included in Lorian Peralta-Ramos' forthcoming catalogue raisonné of the works of Sir Alfred Munnings.