Description
COMMEMORATING THE CENTENARY OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR 1914 – 2014
On 28 July 1914 the unthinkable happened, a great war to “end all wars” began. Four weeks earlier shots were heard on the streets of Sarajevo, and Archduke Frans Ferdinand, heir to the Hapsburg Empire, and his wife lay dead, victims of a Serb nationalist assassin. The major powers had quickly taken sides and Europe found itself heading towards the most brutal war it had known. By the time it ended, four years later, an estimated 10 million had been killed and twice that number wounded and Four Empires – the German, Russian, Austro-Hungarian and Ottoman – had ceased to exist. Europe would never be the same again.
To commemorate one of the most significant anniversaries in history, Anthony Saunders has created a powerful new painting portraying the bleak sacrifice made by so many heroic young men. The names of the bitter battles they endured, however, still live on a hundred years later – Ypres, the Somme, Vimy Ridge, Arras, Loos – and one of the most savage – Passchendaele.
The Battle of Passchendaele lasted for four months and ended in November 1917. Nearly a quarter of a million British, Canadian and New Zealand troops died while fighting for control of the ridges to the south and east of Ypres. It was a high price for victory.
This outstanding painting depicts men and horses of the Royal Field Artillery, swamped by mud in a desolate, shattered landscape, dragging their 18 pounder fieldgun towards a new position on 15 November 1917, during the final days of the battle. Whilst the army continues its grim fight on the ground, overhead Sopwith Camels from 45 Squadron Royal Flying Corps tangle in a deadly duel with German Albatros fighters of Jasta 6.
Flying the lead Sopwith Camel is the RFC Ace Second Lieutenant Kenneth Montgomery. He scored the last of his 12 victories in this dogfight when he shot down the German Ace Leutnant Hans Ritter von Adam, the Commanding Officer of Jasta 6 with an impressive 21 victories to his name. This is one of the most dramatic images that the Military Gallery has ever produced and one of the most moving pieces for collectors to commemorate the historic centenary of the First World War.
Each print is individually numbered and signed by the artist.
THE COMMEMORATIVE REMARQUES
The perfect way to embellish this magnificent piece, each copy will have an individual original pencil remarque, hand drawn in the border of the print. Each remarque is produced to order creating a unique and personal collectors piece, representing an excellent opportunity to acquire Anthony’s outstanding original work.
THE GICLÉE CANVAS EDITION
Produced and printed onto fine canvas under the direct supervision of the artist to match his original painting, and then mounted on to high quality stretchers, each of these carefully crafted Giclée Studio Proofs are fully authorized and personally hand signed by artist Anthony Saunders.
Overall Giclée canvas size approx: 42″ wide x 21″ high.
Each Giclée on canvas is supplied pre-stretched ready to simply drop into a frame of your choice.
PLEASE NOTE: Each Giclée Canvas Proof is produced to order. As a result, our normal delivery policies do not apply but we’ll update you as soon as your Giclée is ready to discuss shipping costs.
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