Women in War

Images of Women in the Anne S. K. Brown Military Art Collection

"Women in War" - The phrase conjures up many thoughts and impressions not least of which is the modern notion of women in combat. Media focus on women pilots in Operation Desert Storm, and women in front-line roles in the army and navy suggests that this is a relatively recent phenomena. For the United States it is, but elsewhere in the world women had found a place on the battlefield throughout history. War does not discriminate between the sexes and through the ages women have been caught up in human conflicts either as victims and non-combatants, or as active and willing participants.

Geertruid ter Brugge

P.S. (c. 1710)

Hand-colored engraving, signed P.S., of Geertruid ter Brugge, a Dutch female soldier in semi-military costume, standing in front of landscape with soldiers foraging.

Hannah Snell the Female Soldier

(c. 1750)

Copper-engraving by B. Cole after Boitard, of Hannah Snell in military dress with military and naval battles in background. Published in London by B. Dickinson.

Woman in French Garde de Corps uniform

(c. 1787)

Original unsigned watercolor of woman on rearing horse pointing sword and wearing Garde du Corps uniform with long white riding-skirt.

Military Man-Trap (1788)

Mezzotint caricature of woman with plumed hat, semi-military jacket and low décolletage, seated on sofa in tent. Published in London by Robert Sayer.

Miss Nancy Walpole

Henry Bunbury (c. 1790)

Color stipple engraving, by Henry William Bunbury, of Nancy Whipple in infantry uniform with gun, tent encampment in left distance, cottage in right background.

Le Retour

Johann Baptist Seele (c. 1800)

One of a pair of colored aquatint plates, by Jügel after Seele, of French grenadier taking sorrowful leave of wife, son, mother and father in cottage. Published in Vienna by T. Mollo.

Amusement Des Autrichiens

Johann Baptist Seele (c. 1809)

Hand-colored aquatint, after Seele, of dragoons and hussar at table in tavern, drinking and embracing girls.

A Chinese General's wife and lady-in-waiting

(c. 1810)

One of a pair of original unsigned gouache drawings; wife of general seated outside tent near staff with shield and banner of rank, kneeling lady-in-waiting at right.

Austrian Jägers or artillery on haywagon

Johann Christoph Erhard (c. 1814)

Lithograph by Johann Christoph Erhard, of haywagon with peasants and soldiers at right, tent encampment with landscape background at left. Published in Vienna.

Dona Maria de Jesus

(c. 1830)

Hand colored aquatint by Edward Finden after Earl, of Dona Maria de Jesus in military uniform with grounded rifle, wearing kilt or short plaid skirt over white trousers, soldiers fighting on shoreline in background.

The Recruiting Officer

Thomas McLean (c. 1832)

Colored lithograph semi-humorous or sentimental plate after W.D, of half-length female figure in uniform. Printed in London by Maguire, Lemercier & Co.

Enlèvement d'Hélène, Vivandière au 17e Léger.

Victor Adam (c. 1838)

Colored lithograph by and after Adam, of mounted Arab abducting shrieking vivandière, pursued by French soldiers at left. Printed in Paris by Lemercier.

Emulazione Patrial

Gregori (c. 1847)

Colored lithograph, by and after Gregori, of girl in military costume with skirt over trousers. Published in Rome

Soldats Suisses

Billet & Cougnard (c. 1858)

Colored lithograph, by and after Lugardon, of allegorical figure with Swiss flag urging soldiers to battle. Printed by Bilet & Cougnard in Geneva.

The Tower of Jhansi

Watts Phillips (c. 1858)

One of a pair of colored lithograph plates, by E. Walker after Watts Phillips, of combat or siege scenes in the Incidents of Indian War series. Printed in London by Day & Son.

Bersaglieri Creali

(c. 1859)

One of a pair of colored lithographs; wounded bersagliere on ground, aided by cantinière.

Off for the war

Currier & Ives (c. 1861)

One of a pair of colored lithographs by Currier & Ives, of soldier embracing woman, child nearby, on a country road with house in background. Published in New York.

A Friend in Need

Sarony, Major & Knapp Lith. (c. 1862)

Colored lithograph by Sarony, Major & Knapp, of woman handing small object to zouave who upholds U.S. flag on battlefield, zouave attack in progress in background.

Crain

(c. 1869-71)

Carte-de-visite photograph of a French cantiniere. For more information, click here.

Barbara Frietchie

(c. 1900)

Chromolithograph of Barbara Frietchie holding an American flag from an upstairs window in her house, while a militia with Confederate flag, possibly led by Stonewall Jackson, passes by. Published in New York by R. C. Co.

3e Emprunt de la Défense Nationale

Jules Marie Auguste Leroux (c. 1917)

Lithograph after Leroux, of French infantryman lifting up and kissing young daughter, wife seated at right. Published in Paris by Joseph Charles.

Going to Work

John Cullen Murphy (c. 1944)

Original watercolor on heavy board, signed and dated by John Cullen Murphy, of women soldiers in the back of a jeep headed off to work.

Peru, Vivandiere of the "Carampangue" Battalion

Francisco Ferrer Llull (c. 1969)

Original ink and watercolor drawing signed by F.F. Llull, of partially kneeling vividaniere. Published in Montevideo.