Body to Body Combat
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This piece by Patricio Ramos Ortega (19 by 14 inches, left) is almost identical to a fragment of a larger painting that forms a part of the collection of “Museo de Historia Mexicana” (Museum of Mexican History) in the city Monterrey, Mexico (30 by 38 inches, right)
On the official website of the Museum one can read the following in reference to this piece:
This painting describes an episode of the Battle of Puebla. It is possible that this piece was a part of a larger series by the same artist, who was a direct participant in the events. Ramos states in one of his paintings:
“Having participated, I was an eyewitness of the battle that took place Monday 5th of May 1862”
The famous battle started before noon and ended at five in the afternoon. The French army was made of six thousand men. The Battle took place between the forts of Loreto and Guadalupe, situated respectively east to west. Rival soldiers confronted themselves at an open field, while oth armies tried to advance towards the city. The French were dispersed once fired upon by the mexican artillery at the fortress. Part of the battle took place under a storm and The “Sol De Mayo» (May Sun) emerged as the Mexican army defeated the invaders.
This painting depicts a body to body comfrinatation between members of the Mexican infantry and French Zouaves. This episode shows bodies of defeated french soldiers , while the victors wave the snatched flag taken from their enemies. The storm, the clouds, the magueys, the extent of the combat in the vast and plain territory, and the defeated standard bearer all coincide with the accounts of the battle
The piece by Patricio Ramos, on the left hand side and subject of this page, formed a part of the Commemorative Exhibition of the 150th Anniversary of the Battle of 5 de Mayo which took place in the Fort of Loretto in 2012.
The Fort of Loreto will premiere museography on May 5 Thursday, May 03, 2012
… includes glasses, binoculars, and a full-length military jacket with gold thread embroidery, which belonged to Ignacio Zaragoza; Battalion flags and oil paintings on canvas showing scenes from the battle, among which two stand out painted by the Puebla artist Patricio Ramos … one from the Auxiliary Board of Zaragoza and two from a private collection; said works by the painter from Puebla are brought together for the first time for public enjoyment.
Located near the site of The Monterrey Foundation and inaugurated November 30, 1994. The Museum of Mexican History is the most important historical exhibition in northern Mexico. It is made up of more than 1,200 pieces, distributed in an area of 15 thousand square meters, that illustrate different aspects of life in Mexico from pre-Hispanic times to the 20th century