This small eighteenth century painting signed August Querfurt (1698-1761). The scene of plunder includes beautifully painted horses - a white horse has fallen on its side and is being ransacked. Signed AQ in the bottom right corner.
Oil on board. The frame has been replaced, but well matched to the subject.
Refer to last image for listing in the Benezit Dictionary of Artists.
August Querfurt (1698-1761) was a notable Austrian painter renowned for his depictions of soldiers, battle scenes, and hunting subjects. Born in Wolfenbüttel, Germany, Querfurt was initially trained by his father, Tobias Querfurt, a landscape and animal painter. He further honed his skills under the tutelage of Georg Philipp Rugendas in Augsburg, a prominent painter of military scenes.
Querfurt's body of work is characterized by its focus on military encampments, cavalry skirmishes, and hunting scenes. He often drew inspiration from and imitated the styles of other artists such as Jacques Courtois, Parrocel, van der Meulen, and particularly Philips Wouwerman. Despite this, he managed to establish a distinct presence in the art world of his time.
His works are held in high esteem and can be found in various prestigious collections, including the Belvedere Museum in Vienna, the Augsburg Gallery, as well as museums in Berlin, Dresden, Stuttgart, and Bratislava. Querfurt's paintings provide a vivid depiction of 18th-century military life and activities, contributing significantly to the genre of battle painting.
