Lot 1778: HERMANN TUNICA, GERMAN, 1826-1907 FERDINAND DUKE OF BRUNSWICK- LUNEBURG AT THE BATTLE OF MINDEN (1721-1792); KARL WILHELM FERDINAND DUKE OF BRUNSWICK-BEVERN AT THE BATTLE OF HASTENBECK each 125 by 118cm (2) The first one signed H. Tunica l.l., the

HERMANN TUNICA, GERMAN, 1826-1907 FERDINAND DUKE OF BRUNSWICK- LUNEBURG AT THE BATTLE OF MINDEN (1721-1792); KARL WILHELM FERDINAND DUKE OF BRUNSWICK-BEVERN AT THE BATTLE OF HASTENBECK each 125 by 118cm (2) The first one signed H. Tunica l.l., the other one signed and dated H. Tunica 1855 l.r. Both oil on canvas Condition Note: The first one would benefit from cleaning, shows some minor buckling to the canvas and a minor paint loss in the lower left corner, otherwise in good condition. The second one would benefit from cleaning, too, has a restored damage lower center approx. 3 by 4cm, two restored damages lower left approx. 4 by 3cm and 2 by 1cm, vertical retouchings 8 and 4cm long lower right. Provenance: Blankenburg 1911 Inv. Nr. 46 and 46 Blankenburg circa 1929 Inv. Nr. 956 Note: The battle of Hastenbeck on the 26 July 1757 was one of the decisive battles of the Seven Years War. In April of that year, two French armies invaded Germany in order to draw Prussian forces away from the Bohemian theatre of operations where the Empress Maria Theresia badly needed some rest for her troops. The first army under the command of the Prince of Soubisse met the imperial army and was to be defeated in the battle of Rossbach by King Friedrich II. of Prussia on 5 November. The other marched into the Electorate of Hanover, commanded by the Marechal d'Estrees. The Hanoveranian coalition army was commanded by Wilhelm August Duke of Cumberland, third son of George II.. The Duke allready had an impressive military record due to his role as the grim commander of the army that had defeated the Stuart heir to the Scottish Throne, Bonnie Prince Charlie in the Battle of Culloden. In 1757 he was commander-in-chief of an army mixed together out of troops from Hanover, Hesse-Kassel, and Brunswick-Bevern . To support this contingent, 6 Prussian batallions were put under his command. As the two armys met on the 26 July, it quickly became quite obvious that the Hanoverian coalition would loose this battle. The Prussian batallions were recalled the same morning to support King Friedrich after his defeat at Kolin. Realizing too late that he had to withdraw his troops the Duke of Cumberland ordered his infantry reserve into battle, which also was defeated. This lost Battle led the English-Hanoveranian commander to the treaty of Zeven, which he signed, and which was later rejected and not ratified by his father. Karl Wilhelm Ferdinand Duke of Brunswick-Bevern commanded his troops in this battle. In the battle of Minden on August 1, 1759 a Saxon-French army under the command of Marechal Contades was defeated by an army of the Prussian-English coalition under the Command of Ferdinand, Duke of Brunswick-Luneburg. He did win the battle "by mistake": Due to a misunderstanding of an order, the Hanoveranian infantry advanced to the surprise of the Duke and attacked the cavalry-for the first and only time in military history, and despite their heavy losses were succsessful. The victory of Minden was one of the few Prussian-coalition triumphs of that part of the war and instantly made the Duke a war hero