A Distant Hail-Storm Coming On, and the March of Soldiers with their Baggage
- Artist: Philip James De Loutherbourg
- Date: 1799
- Medium: Oil paint on canvas
- Dimensions: support: 1092 × 1626 mm
- Museum: Tate Britain
- Collection record: Tate Britain website
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About this artwork
This is the “A Distant Hail‑Storm Coming On, and the March of Soldiers with their Baggage” by Philip James De Loutherbourg, painted in 1799. It’s an oil on canvas that captures a moment of quiet tragedy rather than battlefield heroics. Instead of a sweeping clash, De Loutherbourg focuses on the home front: a line of British soldiers trudging through a mist‑shrouded landscape, leaving behind tear‑streaked families on a winding road. The heavy, foreboding clouds and the distant rumble of a hail‑storm amplify the sense of looming doom and loss.
When it first hit the public eye in 1799, a reviewer praised how the work “appeals to the viewer’s emotions,” noting a “variety of beauties … felt on the first view.” That’s a great hint at how De Loutherbourg’s dramatic brushwork and subtle use of light invite you to feel the weight of war on everyday lives. It’s a compelling reminder that history is lived, not just fought, and that art can make those quiet moments unforgettable.
See it in person
A Distant Hail-Storm Coming On, and the March of Soldiers with their Baggage is in the collection of Tate Britain on Millbank, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
