behind AotW

This stunning work is by William Sadler II (c. 1782—1839). His father, an English portrait painter and engraver, brought him to Ireland as a boy.

William’s son Rupert (c. 1810-1892), also an artist, took his family to America from Ireland in about 1845 and worked in Boston.

Rupert’s son Rupert J Sadler (Ireland 1842-Gettysburg 1863) – not an artist – was acquitted on a charge of manslaughter sometime between 1857 and 1861, defended by Boston lawyer Wider Dwight. Young Rupert was a machinist in Boston when he enlisted in the 2nd Massachusetts Infantry in October 1861 and at Antietam in September 1862 helped bring mortally wounded Lt. Col. Wilder Dwight off the field.

He wrote home about that in a letter now in the Massachusetts Historical Society.

William II painted Waterloo in oil on canvas (32 × 70 inches) in June 1815. It was offered by Pyms Gallery, London in 1999. I do not know where it is now.