Two Horses of the Regiment, 25th Regiment of Foot, Menorca, c.1769 (oil on canvas)

Two Horses of the Regiment, 1769 (c). One of a set of six unsigned oil paintings on canvas attributed to Giuseppe Chiesa (d 1789). Lord George Lennox (pointing with his sword), officers and soldiers of 25th Regiment of Foot in an encampment, Menorca. Thought to be the earliest of this series, based on the evidence of the red waistcoats which were made obsolete by the Royal Warrant of 29 December 1768. The warrant also ordered black bearskin caps for all infantry grenadier companies, although some regiments, like the 25th had been permitted them earlier. The 25th Regiment of Foot was stationed in Menorca from 6 June 1769 until 1775, one of several regiments garrisoned there to maintain British control of this important Mediterranean base, regained from Spain at the end of the Seven Years War (1756-1763). This series of paintings depicting the 25th Regiment of Foot during its service in Menorca originally belonged to Lord George Lennox, (1737-1805), who was colonel of the regiment 1762-1805.