Thread: Portraits of War

Much well merited praise was often bestowed on the fine output of the Army film and Photographic unit and that of the official photographers attached to the other fighting Services. The notable work of the official war artists, however, was much less widely known and appreciated, though it has been regularly displayed at the National Gallery, London, since early 1940 and exhibitions had toured the provinces and the Dominions, as well as South America. Here are a number of outstanding examples reproduced in 1943 and shown in an issue of “The War Illustrated” but an important and distinctive feature of the interesting selection shown here are that several of those included were vivid impressions recorded on the actual scene of battle. Such as the admirable Western Desert subjects executed by the South African artists Geoffrey Long and Philip Bawcombe, and the New Zealander Capt. Peter McIntyre. Portraiture is represented by the vigorous works of Capt. Neville Lewis, another South African, and two British exponents of the art, Harry Morley, R.A. and William Dring.

Ruby Loftus Screwing A Breech-Ring By Dame Laura Knight R.A.



Burnt Out Airoplane By John Armstrong



Railway Station, Alamein By Philip Bawcombe



25 Pounder Gun And Team In Action On The Alamein Front By J. Berry

Job Masego M.M. By Captain Neville Lewis



New Zealand Anti-Tank Regiment At Sidi Rezegh By Pete McIntyre



Axis Road, Crossroads In The Desert By Geoffrey Long



Lt. Commander, M D Wanklyn, V.C. D.S.O. By Harry Morley



Convoy To Russia By Charles Pears



Coxswain A G Bloggs, B.E.M. By William Dring

To Celebrate its fifth year of activity, Britain’s war Artists Advisory Committee placed on view at The National Gallery, London, new oil paintings, water colours and drawings covering every aspect of the war in Europe, from N. Africa, Malta, Sicily and Italy to as far north as Iceland, and ranging from the picturesquely vigorous to the grimly dramatic. Below are selections of striking examples of the work of artists who had contributed to this display. There were eight official artists, appointed by the Committee who were attached to the Armed forces.

Servicing A Liberator By Charles Cundall A.R.A



Parachute Drop By Henry Carr



A Pathfinder By J. Berry



R.A.F Air Sea Rescue Launches; The Fish Quay Beyond By Stephen Bone



Heavy A.A And Valetta In Distance During Raid By Leslie Cole

Brigadier De La Bere By Leslie Cole



Mines Stored In Melilli Caves, Sicily By John Worsley



Woolwich Arsenal, 1943 By Robert Austin



Refitting H.M Submarine Shakespeare Sir Muirhead Bone



The Sinking Of The Scharnorst