Remembering the Great War

Disappointing exhibition at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery looking at the First World War in Scotland.

I just say disappointing as even I may have over dosed on the First World War. I felt this couldn’t decide if it was a portrait exhibition or a general art exhibition. It was mainly portraits but it then threw in “Avatar” by Henry Lintott an allegorical work on the war and the modern photos of the Somme by Peter Catterall, which I love, but which aren’t portraits. If it was aiming to be a more general artistic look at the war it needed more general pictures and less of the slightly obscure portraits.

There were however some interesting stories which I didn’t know for example there was a portrait of Alexander Fleming as the development of penicillin was based on his observations of wound in the First World War. I loved the fact here was a cartoon for one of the friezes of the Scottish War Memorial at the castle which I love. The full sized drawing was by Morris Meredith Williams and the bronze final version had been cast by his wife Alice.
 
Closes on 29 May 2016.  

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