Need help with my writing homework on Edward Armitage’s Retribution. Write a 1250 word paper answering; The new Palace of Westminster was being renovated after being razed down by a fire in 1834. Competitions were held to pick works of art that only depicted the history of Britain. Most of those who took part in the competitions were artists who were well known. Edward Armitage entered his painting Caesar’s first invasion of Britain which was among the first three paintings whose owners were awarded 300 pounds each (Boase, 1954). Edward Armitage was a painter of the Victorian era who mainly painted historical, biblical, and classical subjects.
Before he was awarded the three hundred pounds for his cartoon painting ‘Ceasar’s invasion of Britain’, his reward was delayed because of accusations that the painting had been done by Paul Delaroche (Atkinson et al). However, after deliberations, it was decided that the painting was the original work of Edward Armitage, and he was given three hundred pounds. He proved the critics of the first cartoon competition painting in 1845 when he won the first prize of two hundred pounds for his work on ‘The Spirit of Religion’. This was followed by another award of five hundred pounds in 1847 for the painting ‘The Battle of Meanee’, which was later given to the Queen.
Edward Armitage’s painting, Retribution, is a representation of the events that took place in India in 1857. It belongs to the genre of painting known as a battle or war paint. The Indian rebellion which took place in 1857 to 1858 involved Indian Sepoy troops who worked for the British. The Indian troops rebelled and overpowered the British soldiers. Having been overpowered by their Indian subjects, the British soldiers could no longer protect their women and children. In order to save their families, the soldiers surrendered to the Sepoy troops in the hope of getting a safe passage and boats to take their families to Allahabad.
