War in the Sunshine: The British in Italy 1917-1918

Fascinating exhibition at the Estorick Collection  looking at the artists and photographers who recorded the role of the British forces in Italy in the First World War.

I was so excited to discover that the main artist featured was Sydney Carline. As well as being a good artist in his own right he was also Stanley Spencer’s brother in law and I have drawing by him. Carline was in the Royal Flying Corps and many of the works here were pictures of air battles or views from planes. These pictures were full of action and gave a wonderful sense of the speed and height of flying by showing the ground below as slightly out of focus. I particularly loved some closely observed sketches of in the local villages.

The second room looked at two photographers, Ernest Brooks and William Joseph Brunell, who recorded the same campaign. The pictures were not only of the front and the solders but also the people of Italy who were helping them. There were wonderful studies of women loading lorries, making munitions and doing the soldiers washing. I loved one picture of soldiers eating with a family complete with a child in high chair and an old Italian lady in scarves.

Closes on 19 March 2017.

Review
Guardian

 

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