Lieutenant-Colonel Hon. R.A.J. Talbot, 1st Life Guards by Reginald Augustus Wymer (1849-1935)

Lieutenant-Colonel Hon. R.A.J. Talbot, 1st Life Guards, and commander of the Heavy Camel Regiment on the Gordon Relief Expedition (1884-85), by Reginald Augustus Wymer (1849-1935)

Watercolour in original ebonised and gilt wood frame embellished at the corners with the regimental cipher of the 1st Life Guards

Provenance: Sir Reginald Talbot, Ashridge Park

 Major Reginald Augustus Wymer (1849-1935)

Both a professional artist and soldier, R.A. Wymer was commissioned in H.M's 34th (Cumberland) Regiment of Foot in 1867 and exchanged into the 91st (Argyllshire) Highlanders in 1870. He became Captain, 2nd  (Militia) Bn. Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders. He retired from the Army in 1905. His military pictures were widely collected, with his patrons including Queen Victoria, Albert, Edward  Prince of Wales, and Queen Mary, who on 28 May 1932 visited Fortnum & Mason ' to see charming pictures by Major Wymer'.

 Major-General The Hon. Sir Reginald Talbot, K.C.B. (1841-1929)

Reginald Arthur James Talbot was born in London, the third son of Henry Viscount Ingestre (later 3rd Earl of Talbot and 18th Earl of Shrewsbury) and Sarah, daughter of the 2nd Marquess of Waterford. He was educated at Harrow and was commissioned into the 1st Life Guards in 1859. Returning to military duty he saw active service during the Zulu War of 1879-80 and in 1884-85 played an important role in the unsuccessful mission to rescue General Gordon from Khartoum. As a senior officer with the camel-mounted Desert Column he was appointed to the command of the Heavy Camel Regiment comprising elements of the Household Cavalry, 4th (Royal Irish) Dragoon Guards, 5th Dragoon Guards, 1st Royal Dragoons, Scots Greys, 5th Lancers and 16th Lancers. He was accordingly present at the Battle of Abu Klea in which the Desert Column in square formation narrowly averted annihilation at the hands of Mahdist fanatics and Fuzzy Wuzzies.. His account of the H.C.R. at Abu Klea was published in the Nineteenth Century magazine in answer criticism of its conduct and controversy over the death of the beau sabreur and Victorian man-about-town Colonel Fred Burnaby of the Blues. From 1869 to 1874 Talbot was the Conservative Member of Parliament for Stafford. He was appointed C.B. in 1885 and to the command the 1st Life Guards from July 1886 to July 1888. He was knighted in 1902 and between 1904-06 served as Governor of Victoria, Australia.