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Artists and Authors at WarHenry Buckton During the Second World War almost an entire generation of young men and many young ladies, served in one of the armed forces. It’s little wonder therefore, that some of the great artistic talents that shaped the post-war art scene had experienced military life. It’s little wonder also that much of their work was influenced by images observed during some of the cruellest years in modern history. This book looks at the historical background of these great talents to discover how they were employed during the war, and how – if at all – their artistic talents were utilized for the war effort. One of the most fascinating things the reader will discover is the high rank and responsibility that many of these artists achieved, as well as the practical application of their talents. For instance, the sculptor Kenneth Armitage found himself running courses in the identification of tank and aircraft shapes with the Royal Artillery; designer William Maving Gardner used his design talents in charge of an army camouflage school; painter William Gear served with the Monuments, Fine Art and Archives Section of the Control Commission; poet Randle Manwaring commanded the RAF Regiment in Burma; dressmaker Sir Hardy Amies ran the Belgian Section of Special Operations Executive; poet Paul Griffin worked on Orde Wingate’s operations staff in Burma; jeweller Andrew Grima commanded the REME divisional workshop of the 7th Indian Division on the Arakan peninsula; and authors like Ralph Hammond Innes and John Prebble used their engineering talents as journalists for service newspapers. Then, of course, there were official war artists like John Napper, Leonard Rosoman and Richard Seddon, who studied allied troops and other associated themes around the world, and unofficial war artists like Eric Taylor, who painted the war itself from the Normandy beaches to the horrors of the Belsen Concentration Camp. Perhaps the most interesting thing of all is the tenacity and dedication of artists who sketched, painted and penned verse, while civilization collapsed around them. For it was men such as these who returned colour and light to the world once the madness was finally over. Published by Pen & Sword Books ISBN: 0 85052 676 0 |
