Hussars

“Hussars” by Aquiles Leon Lacault
France 1866 – 1939
Oil on Canvas.
Collection of the Des Moines Women’s Club; anonymous donor.

Lacault was known for his military subjects, which he carried out in oil, watercolor, and etchings. His subject here was a particularly dashing type of warrior known as the Hussars, cavalry units whose courageous exploits in battle were legendary. Mounted on their horses and dressed in highly elaborate uniforms, the Hussars were armed mainly with swords, sabers and similar bladed weapons. They originated in Hungary in the 15th century, but nearly all European nations eventually contained Hussar regiments. During Napoleonic wars of the early 19th century, the French Hussars achieved heightened fame for their military prowess, particularly in routing the enemy with their charging horses – while their behavior off the battlefield made them into romantic heroes of sorts. Hussars used their horses in combat up through World War I, but most of these fighters are now integrated into armored units.