Colonel Tarleton

Reynolds painted Colonel Banastre Tarleton in 1782, depicting the controversial British cavalry commander who had earned both fame and infamy during the American Revolutionary War. Tarleton's brutal tactics at the Battle of Waxhaws, where his dragoons allegedly massacred surrendering Continental soldiers, earned him the nickname "Bloody Ban." Reynolds's portrait shows him in a dramatically heroic pose beside a cannon with battle smoke in the background, projecting martial glamour that contrasts with his controversial reputation. Now in the National Gallery, the painting demonstrates Reynolds's ability to create compelling military portraits that transformed their subjects into heroic figures.

Reynolds positions Tarleton against a stormy battlefield background with cannon smoke, his pose conveying dynamic energy. The brushwork is bold and confident, with rich contrasts between the dark uniform and the atmospheric sky.