Morier was a Swiss military and sporting painter who started working for William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland (1721-65) in 1747, when he painted a series of pictures of troops under his command. From 1752 until 1764 he was employed as ‘limner’ (painter) to the Duke on an annual salary of £100; his name also appears regularly in royal accounts from 1764 to 1767. This is one of a set of four depictions of engagements belonging to the Duke of Cumberland designed to display the prowess of the elite forces of different nations (RCIN 406880, 406882, 406885 and probably 401243). We see here a cavalry skirmish involving a dragoon, charging on a dark bay horse, brandishing his sword and a French mousquetaire du Roi, riding away from the spectator on a grey rearing horse; another Mousquetaire aims his pistol at the Dragoon.