Capturing the immediacy of fighting and the writhing bodies of soldiers, as well as keeping narrative clarity, proved enormously difficult for painters depicting battles before the advent of photography. Michael Hall reveals how they rose to the challenge

OUR TOP FIVE PICKS OF THE WEEK

Over a long career, John Hardman has specialised to great effect in teasing out, from speeches, decrees, minutes, memoranda, letters, diaries and unsent drafts, the varied moods of French political de

BORN on May 26, 1907, Marion Robert Morrison weighed in at an impressive 13lb and spent his childhood in Southern California. He received his nickname “Duke” thanks to a pet dog. They were together so

Our pick of the latest military history books

Danny Bird What was the genesis of Legenda? Was there a moment when you knew you had to write this book? Janina Ramirez From the start of my academic career, I learned from [Palestinian-American liter