David Bomberg, Sappers at Work: A Canadian Tunelling Company

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Date:1919

Description:Bomberg (1890-1957)was born in Sutton Street off Holloway Head. In 1917, he was commissioned by the Canadian authorities to do a painting celebrating an operation in which the sappers successfully blew up a salient of the German defences at Saint-Eloi near Arras. He was told to steer clear of Cubism. Despite this warning, the first version of his painting shows a cubist style and the painting was rejected by the emissary of the Canadian committee, who criticised Bomberg's 'Futurism'. In a short space of time Bomberg produced a second version in line with the commissioner's instructions. The original colours and dynamism have disappeared, but the structure of the beams, the movements of the soldiers, their uniforms and the tools they are using are all painted with the required accuracy. As if to indicate what a burden this work had been for him, Bomberg painted himself in the foreground with a heavy beam on his shoulder.

Related themes:

World War One Paintings Military & War Ladywood Fine Art 1914 - 1919 (World War I)

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Source: Mr Ron Butler , Mrs Gwen Hatton , Ms Angela Dyer , Mrs May Williams , Mr Arthur Sadler , Mrs Janet Abbotts , Ms Rose Pearson , Mrs Dolly Ray , Mrs Pamela Edwards , Mrs Betty Queen , Mr Ken Smith , Ms Julia Wagstaffe , Woodview Primary School , Ms Carol Woolley , St Thomas's School , E.R. Mason Youth Centre , Mr Bernard Allen , Mrs Gladys Russell , Mrs Pat Jones , Ms Angela Maloney , St Thomas Old Scholars , Mr Ken Bonham

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