Christopher Nevinson’s lithograph Banking at 4000 Feet is included in The Great War: Britain’s Efforts and Ideals at Abbott & Holder. It comes from the Making Aircraft section where works are available for £3750-15,000.
One of the largest and most ambitious British print projects of the early 20th century was The Great War: Britain’s Efforts and Ideals. The series was commissioned by the government in 1917 from 18 artists and is made up of two series. Nine sets of six prints depict the British effort in the war and 12 depict the country’s ideals. Among the artists tapped for the project were Augustus John, George Clausen and Frank Brangwyn, all leading artists of the day.
At London Art Week, the series will be on offer for the first time in more than 100 years at Bloomsbury gallery Abbott and Holder.
The prints were first offered for sale through the Fine Art Society in 1917 and the next year were transferred to the newly created Imperial War Museum. They were then available for purchase via the Grosvenor Galleries until 1923 but were then withdrawn and went back to the Imperial War Museum where they remained un-accessioned until now.
Some prints are offered individually, while many of the sets of six are offered as groups. Britain’s Ideals is offered as a set of 12 for £5400.
The collection is one of a range of highlights announced this week as highlights at London Art Week, running from June 28-July 5 at galleries around the capital.
Other key shows taking place during the event include Fruits of Friendship on the life and work of 17th century artist Mary Beale at Philip Mould & Company, an exhibition on the drawings of Italian Baroque painter Guercino (1591-1666) at Stephen Ongpin Fine Art and Mary and the Woman She Inspired at the gallery of medieval specialist Sam Fogg.
