This is a fine painting of a General Sir Julius von Hartmann (1774-1856), in uniform, bearing numerous awards such as an Order of the Bath, a Royal Guelphic Order, an Army Gold Cross, and a Military General Service Medal, in oil on a stretched canvas, unsigned, measuring 29.7 cm (w) x 35.3 cm (h), well-preserved with light cracking and exposure, and in near very fine condition.
Footnote: Julius von Hartmann was born on 6 May 1774 in Hannover. He entered the Hannover Army as a volunteer cadet at the age of thirteen, completing the Artillery School in Hannover, learning the trade of gunner under the instruction of Gerhard von Scharnhorst (1755-1813). In 1793, he received the promotion to officer, and followed this with the campaigns of 1793-94, in which he attended the Battle of Famars, the siege of Valenciennes, the engagements at Wernhout, Hondschoote, and the defence of Menin. He was taken prisoner until 1795. He received a promotion to Lieutenant in 1796 and, from 1797 to 1799, he worked under Scharnhorst in the staff of the Quartermaster General. In 1803, Hartmann was promoted to Staff Captain and, after the dissolution of the Hanoverian Army, joined the King’s German Legion. In January 1804, Hartmann received the promotion to Captain of the King’s German Legion Artillery. He served in the Peninsula from 1809 to April 1814 and then with the Portuguese Army from January 1811 to April 1814. Hartmann had temporary command of the Portuguese Artillery during the absence of Colonel Dickson in 1811. Hartmann was present at Douro, Talavera (wounded on 28 July), Busaco, Campo, Mayor, Olivencia, Albuera (as senior artillery officer of Anglo Portuguese Artillery), Arroyo dos Molinos, the first and second sieges of Badajoz, the siege of Salamanca Forts, Madrid (destroying the Retiro), Vittoria (commanding the reserve artillery of the Anglo Portuguese Army), San Sebastian, Bidassoa, Nivelle, Nive, Adour, Bayonne (wounded at the Sortie from Bayonne 14 April 1814). Hartmann was also present at Waterloo, in command of the King’s German Legion Artillery and the newly raised Hanoverian Artillery. He was also present at the Capture of Paris. When the King’s German Legion was disbanded in February 1816, Hartmann joined the Hanoverian Army as Colonel. He was promoted to Major General in 1818 then to Chief of Artillery Brigade in 1833 and then to Lieutenant General in 1836, taking command of the Engineers as well as the Artillery. After 62 years of service, Hartmann retired in 1850, but was recalled in 1853 and became General of Artillery in 1854. Hartmann received the Grand Cross of the Hanoverian Guelphic Order, the Prussian Red Eagle Order, I Class, the Commander of the British Bath Order, the Lion of the Netherlands, II Class, King William’s Cross, and the Gold Army Cross. Hartmann died at the age of eighty-two in 1856.