The Artists' Rifles in Camp, 1884 (oil on canvas)

In August 1884 the 20th Middlesex (Artists') Rifle Volunteers held their camp at Aldershot. Attendance at these summer camps was voluntary and usually not very well attended, while the long Easter weekend camp was much more popular. Here the volunteers are shown preparing for drill. Some are almost ready, equipped with blanket rolls and Snider rifles, while the soldier buying fish still needs to change his fashionable, but non-regulation, two-tone shoes. Following the formation in 1859 of the Volunteer Force for national defence, the regiment was raised in 1860 as the 38th Middlesex (Artists) Rifle Volunteers. It was so-named as it was mainly composed of painters, sculptors, engravers, musicians, architects and actors. One of the first officers was Frederick (later Lord) Leighton, who was subsequently both Honorary Colonel of the regiment and President of the Royal Academy of Arts. Other famous volunteers include John Everett Millais, William Morris and Holman Hunt.