Combat Gallery Sunday: The martial art of Carl Becker
First off, there are at least four Carl Beckers that are artists.
Not to be confused with the earlier Karl Becker (1820-1900), a slightly more renowned German artist, or American Dutch Carl J. Becker (1841-1910) who was an illustrator for Lesilies during the Civil War, nor the German Carl Becker who was a naval artist.
The subject of this post produced some of the best uniform art of the late 19th and 20th century, Carl J. Becker who was born in 1862 in Germany and was a skilled watercolor artist who also dabbled in pencils, oils and the occasional silverpoint.
Among our Becker’s works were a series of near-photo realistic prints of European military uniforms made in the late 19th Century. In particular he preserved some of the best illustrations of German cavalry uniforms of Kaiser II’s era. (Hattip Zhukov on the prints). He was a master of soft color shading with an uncanny ability to craft delicate details into his work.
Portrait of an Imperial Russian Officer of the Chevalier Guards
Major, 1. Sächsisches Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 12 by Carl J Becker from the Anne S.K. Brown Military Collection
Sergeant, Grenadier-Regiment zu Pferde Freiherr von Derfflinger (Neumarkisches) Nr. 3 Carl J Becker from the Anne S.K. Brown Military Collection
Unteroffizier, 2. Leib-Husaren-Regiment Königin Viktoria von Preussen Nr. 2 by Carl J Becker from the Anne S.K. Brown Military Collection
Radfahrer, 1. Kurhessischen Infantry-Regiment Nr. 81 Carl J Becker from the Anne S.K. Brown Military Collection
Privat, Bayerisches 7 Chavaulegers-Regiment Prinz Alfons Carl J Becker from the Anne S.K. Brown Military Collection
Oberst, Husaren-Regiment Fürst Blücher von Wahlstatt (Pmmersches) Nr. 5 by Carl J Becker from the Anne S.K. Brown Military Collection
Some 104 of Becker’s plates were collected by Charles Wooley in amazing The Kaiser’s Army in Color (2000)
Becker also did a series of illustrations of the German Colonial forces during the War in Südwestafrika 1904-1908 (–better known today as the Herero and Namaqua Genocide lead by the brutal German general Lothar von Trotha) which have been the subject of scale modelers for generations.
Published as Deutsche Reiter in Sudwest in 1910, these are little seen outside of the small segment of military historians who are interested in the Schutztruppe of that time period. Becker himself died in 1926.
German Colonial forces during the War in Südwestafrika by Carl Becker
German Colonial forces during the War in Südwestafrika by Carl Becker
German Colonial forces during the War in Südwestafrika by Carl Becker
German Colonial forces during the War in Südwestafrika by Carl Becker– You have to dig the dromedaries
German Colonial forces during the War in Südwestafrika by Carl Becker
German Colonial forces during the War in Südwestafrika by Carl Becker. Starting with 2,000 troops, von Trotha had to bring in more than 20,000 to win his brutal colonial war.
German Colonial forces during the War in Südwestafrika by Carl Becker
German Colonial forces during the War in Südwestafrika by Carl Becker. In all some 1600 German casualties were suffered against Herero losses of some 70,000
German Colonial forces during the War in Südwestafrika by Carl Becker. Railroads were an important force factor in the German victory.
German Colonial forces during the War in Südwestafrika by Carl Becker
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