{"id":25298,"global_id":"www.sal.org.uk?id=25298","global_id_lineage":["www.sal.org.uk?id=25298"],"author":"24","status":"publish","date":"2021-01-19 16:05:19","date_utc":"2021-01-19 16:05:19","modified":"2021-04-27 09:38:32","modified_utc":"2021-04-27 08:38:32","url":"https:\/\/www.sal.org.uk\/event\/wartime-paintings-of-london-the-story-of-the-war-artists-who-documented-the-capital-1939-1945\/","rest_url":"https:\/\/www.sal.org.uk\/wp-json\/tribe\/events\/v1\/events\/25298","title":"Wartime paintings of London","description":"

PUBLIC LECTURE<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Wartime paintings of London: the story of the war artists who documented the capital 1939-1945<\/strong><\/em><\/h3>\n

by Suzanne Bardgett\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

This lecture will be based on the author’s book Wartime London in Paintings <\/em>(published in April 2020) about the artists who were commissioned by Sir Kenneth Clark\u2019s War Artists Advisory Committee to record scenes of \u00a0wartime London. Drawing on Imperial War Museums\u2019 (IWM) rich art collection and archives, this lecture will\u00a0 use slides to show the Society the little known artistic record of how Britain\u2019s capital was transformed during six years of conflict, and also reveal some of the city\u2019s curious wartime secrets; from the construction of the \u2018Mulberry Harbours\u2019 in London\u2019s docks \u2013 instrumental to the successful D-Day landings \u2013 to the five-mile section of the Central line that became a secret wartime factory.<\/p>\n

Of the forty-two artists in the book, only around six are well-known today.\u00a0 Most of the painters painters were not the cultural elite of the time, nor did they congregate as many of the writers did in the pubs of Fitzrovia, but in the main got on with life under the duress of wartime conditions, making what money they could through WAAC purchases and commissions. Nearly all had had art-school training. Some had made their livings through illustrating books or painting murals and stage-sets.\u00a0 Others \u2013 like Leonard Rosoman \u2013 were determined to become artists but were finding the path hard. Several were teaching in London art schools \u2013 a profession which became precarious when on the outbreak of war many of these schools moved out of the capital. Seven of the forty two artists in the book are women \u2013 reflecting the fact that a much higher proportion of female artists were given opportunities than had been the case during the First World War.<\/p>\n

An exhibition of some of these works opened at the Churchill War Rooms in December 2020 but was unfortunately closed on account of Covid.<\/p>\n

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Please note that due to COVID 19 restrictions this event may be online only.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Attendance by Live Stream:<\/h2>\n