Canadian War Artists

The Dominion of Canada contributed so much to the Entente efforts militarily throughout the war. Today on Roads we offer their artistic contributions as well. War artists depicted all areas and venues of the conflict, from frontline experiences on land, sea, and aloft to homefront munitions factories and those keeping the home fires burning.   

                                                                                                                                    ~KW 

 

 

                                                          An Artist's Home on the Somme,  

                                     watercolor and wax crayon on paper, 9.7 x 13.3 In. 

                                                          William Thurston Topham 1916

 William Thurston Topham (1888–1966) comments on the verso this painting:

My own home at Bottom Wood - about ½ way between Mametz + Contalmaison; In the trench the entrance to an old German dugout can be seen. This is the same dugout illustrated in the; accompanying sketch, + into which I moved later; after my studio was smashed up by a shell; The corrugated iron on the roof and is covered by branches; as concealment from aircraft; T.Topham.; This is a rough sketch of a shelter at; bottom wood on the Somme, used; by myself until it got blown up by shell. The opening in the bank is the end of a trench; known as Pearl Alley + the entrance to; an old German dugout can be seen. 

 

 

 Canadian Artillery in Action, 1916

Kenneth Forbes, 1918, oil on canvas, 62 x 96.5 in. 

Kenneth Forbes (1892–1980)  cited in Wikimedia Commons:

 

 

 

For Kenneth Forbes, then in the British Army, the call to become a war artist in 1918 was unexpected but perhaps not unwelcome. He had been wounded and gassed. 

 

I had been in the front line trenches for over two years and had just been promoted to second-in-command of the 32nd Machine Gun Co. which includes the rank of Captain, when I received an order to report to Col. Barry... he informed me that I was to report to the Canadian War Memorials, London and be transferred to the Canadian Army. 

 

Canadian Artillery in Action reconstructs an incident on 16 July 1916, during the Battle of the Somme. Suffering under an intense barrage that resulted in many casualties, the Canadian gunners nevertheless stayed at their posts. 

 

These are but two of a fascinating trove of Canadian war art in the Canadian War Museum. Please explore further to appreciate and honor those Canadians both lived the war and represented it for posterity in their art.  

 

 

 

 

Sources: William Thurston Topham and Kenneth Forbes, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons; Canadian War Museum; canadianclassicfineart.com.