Godefroy Durand, At Bay: The Battle of Isandlwana, The Graphic Illustrated Newspaper (15 March 1879), double spread, 260–261. Wood engraving. Durand constructed this dramatic and disturbing image from his imagination rather than from any eye-witness accounts, given that the only survivors fled the scene early in the engagement. Nevertheless, the artist captures the final desperate moments in a vortex of movement and angular forms as the British are pressed in by the Zulus, with all of their spears facing inwards, as the bodies fall on all sides. The title, ‘At Bay,’ suggests that the 42nd Foot have been trapped by a predator, and the overall effect is visually imposing and intensely tragic.
Image scan and text by Simon Cooke, Ph.D. This image may be used without prior permission for any scholarly or educational purpose without prior permission as long as you credit the link to this page in a web document or cite it in a print one.
Created 27 February 2025