Frank Brangwyn At War

Frank Brangwyn at War

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‘. . . to see what man may come to

makes my heart bleed. That it should be possible to drive the multitude to

war clearly shows to my mind that so called civilisation is of very little use,

and that unless we get going with the

spiritual side of things it will keep on, just in the same old way.’

Frank Brangwyn, 1939

Catalogue £10

Frank Brangwyn at War

goldmark October 2014

Special hardback - ÂŁ75 edition of 50 only, signed and numbered, with a Brangwyn woodcut from an original block and two photographs from the collection of the author.

Standard paperback - ÂŁ25

B RANGWYN AT WAR!

by Libby Horner

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Frank Brangwyn at War

Despite rumours to the contrary Frank Brangwyn was

comforts for the soldiers (tobacco for British soldiers,

not an official war artist but he was one of the most

wine for Europeans) then designs for charitable concerns

quantity, design and technical accomplishment. With the

the homeless, the need for women to work and austerity

outstanding poster artists of the Great War, in terms of

exception of Gerald Spencer Pryse, Brangwyn’s work

differed considerably from that of his contemporaries; it was less overtly jingoistic, patriotic and nationalistic;

more artistic and in the tradition of academic European

showing sympathy for the wounded, the orphaned and

(Brangwyn did not appear to produce any work on this

theme). As the war progressed artists began to illustrate

combat but did so from a civilian and historical perspec-

tive with heraldry and patron saints (Brangwyn preferred

painting. It was probably his personal love of Belgium

to remain in the present and rarely dealt with symbolism).

Germany invaded the country.

One could cynically suggest that patriotism was a

For a peace-loving man his early posters were impas-

most of Brangwyn’s drawings for charities were given

which so enraged and motivated the ar tist when

sioned, violent and shocking, especially since it was

unusual and unpopular at the time to depict soldiers in

useful lever by which to keep bread on the table, but

free of charge and many of the large prints produced

by the Avenue Press were a ‘voluntary war contribution’,

the act of fighting. Posters were the main medium of

uncommissioned, a heartfelt response.

different phases. Initially they dealt with recruitment and

In a sense the story of the war can be told through

communication during the war and moved through

war loans (men and money) before progressing to

Brangwyn’s work.

Libby Horner, from Brangwyn at War!, 2014

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1. Refugees Leave Antwerp 2 lithograph, 1915, signed in plate 73.5 x 71.5 cm

ÂŁ950

Frank Brangwyn

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2. British Occupy Dixmude lithograph,1915, signed

67.0 x 59.5 cm

ÂŁ950

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Frank Brangwyn

3. Britain’s Call to Arms lithograph, 1914

105.5 x 152.0 cm

£5950

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4. The Vow of Vengeance lithograph, 1915 73.5 x 48.5 cm

ÂŁ950

Frank Brangwyn

5. War 1

lithograph, 1916

44.5 x 68.5 cm

ÂŁ750

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6. Bombardment, Louvain lithograph, 1915 38.0 x 51.0 cm

ÂŁ650

Frank Brangwyn

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7. Gas Mask

lithograph, 1915

41.5 x 64.5 cm

ÂŁ1250

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12 |

Frank Brangwyn

8. Humanity Calls: United States Appeal lithograph, 1917

98.0 x 148.5 cm

ÂŁ6500

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9. Roll of Honour, Abram Collieries lithograph, 1916, signed 76.0 x 51.0 cm

ÂŁ500

Frank Brangwyn

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10. Canadian Soldiers on a Barricade lithograph, 1915, signed

73.5 x 48.5 cm

ÂŁ950

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11. Germans in Belgium

lithograph, 1915, signed in plate 62.5 x 47.0 cm

ÂŁ1250

Frank Brangwyn

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12. Peronne (Ruins of War) lithograph, 1918, signed

48.5 x 69.5 cm

ÂŁ750

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Frank Brangwyn

13. British Troops at Ypres lithograph, 1915

116.0 x 99.0 cm

ÂŁ4750

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14. Peace

lithograph, c1919, signed in plate 71.5 x 46.0 cm

ÂŁ950

Frank Brangwyn

15. Mars Appeals to Vulcan lithograph, 1915, signed

73.5 x 48.0 cm

ÂŁ650

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22 |

Frank Brangwyn

16. Loading the Field Gun lithograph, 1918, initialled

90.0 x 156.0 cm

ÂŁ5500

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17. Freedom of the Seas lithograph, 1917 46.0 x 74.0 cm

ÂŁ1450

Frank Brangwyn

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18. The Watch on the Rhine lithograph, 1918, signed

31.0 x 40.0 cm

ÂŁ850

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26 |

Frank Brangwyn

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19. Desolation on the French Front lithograph, 1918

91.0 x 138.0 cm

ÂŁ5750

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20. In the Belgian Trenches lithograph, 1916, signed 77.5 x 71.0 cm

ÂŁ1450

Frank Brangwyn

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21. Remaking of Belgium lithograph, 1915

79.0 x 71.0 cm

ÂŁ950

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Before the War

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22. Windmill, Dixmuden etching, 1908, signed 55.0 x 74.0 cm

ÂŁ2750

Before the War

Frank Brangwyn

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23. Santa Maria Della Salute - Venice etching, 1907, signed

54.0 x 80.0 cm

ÂŁ2950

Before the War

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24. The Building of the Ship etching, 1912, signed 69.0 x 90.0 cm

£2950

back cover:

25. Woman’s Work in War lithograph, 1915, signed

59.5 x 47.0 cm

£950

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26. The Ruins of War woodcut, 1918

22.5 x 20.0 cm

ÂŁ450

goldmark Orange Street, Uppingham, Rutland, LE15 9SQ 01572 821424 See more at goldmarkart.com