George III’s visit to the military camp at Warley near Brentwood in Essex took place on 20 October 1778; the King and Queen stayed for the nights of 19 and 20 October at Thorndon Hall, the seat of the Catholic peer Lord Petre. The day began with a review of the troops, the subject of de Loutherbourg’s pendant painting. The Light Infantry and Grenadiers then ‘marched with the artillery through the woods towards Little Warley (followed by the whole line in two columns), where, as well as in the adjacent woods, several batteries were placed, and many manoeuvres of attack and defence were performed, with the continued firing of musquetry and cannon, to which the situation and variety of the ground were very favourable and afforded much pleasure to the numerous spectators’. The manoeuvres are shown on Daniel Paterson’s plan of Warley Camp (Royal Collection).

The King and Queen ‘beheld the whole from a stand erected by Lord Petre in the centre of the scene’, seen here (amidst smoke) in the centre middle distance. After the mock attack, which took place on the slopes of Childerditch and Little Warley Commons, the King was introduced to several officers who had taken part. He expressed his ‘great satisfaction at the appearance, discipline, and good order of the several regiments, and the royal artillery; and likewise his approbation of the manoeuvres which were performed’.

The attack was led by Lieutenant-General Pierson, who commissioned this painting and its pendant from de Loutherbourg and presented them - presumably in their magnificent frames - to the King. Both pictures were exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1779. De Loutherbourg’s obvious care in recording the scene is very much in contrast with the broad treatment of the landscape in the large canvas of Banditti in a Landscape (Royal Collection) which he painted for the Prince of Wales in 1804. The artist’s career was both illustrious and prolific, ranging from stage design for the theatrical impresario David Garrick to landscapes and history paintings, and achieving the title of ‘Historical Painter to HRH the Duke of Gloucester’ in 1807. By that date the Warley Camp paintings were hanging in the Music Room in the Dutch House at Kew.

Signed and dated P.J. De Loutherbourg 1779