Summary
In the Second World War images of the Home Front and the British landscape often became powerful agents in the struggle for victory.
Synopsis
In this study day we’ll look at some of the ways in which artists worked for the war effort in Britain between 1939 and 1945. Not all war art depicts battles and engagements, and we’ll focus particularly on a group of young painters who were influenced by William Blake, Samuel Palmer and the tradition of British landscape painting. Some of their works became an important part of the country’s fight for survival and still provide us with our most memorable images of Britain at war.
We’ll also look at artists who recorded everyday life in streets and factories, who provided cartoons to instruct and entertain, and made posters for government information campaigns. We’ll consider the achievements of Sir Kenneth Clark in protecting the artistic heritage of Britain during the Blitz and find out what did happen to some of our greatest treasures during the War.
