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Notes
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The First World War saw the general introduction of 'dazzle-painting', an idea of the artist Norman Wilkinson to help protect ships from enemy surface raiders and submarines by camouflaging them with zig-zag lines of many colours. It helped to conceal them in poor visibility, impeded easy identification and visual range-finding, and was adopted by several navies and merchant fleets. The picture was painted for the Ministry of Information. The ship to the left flies the American flag of the stars and stripes and the one in the centre painted largely green is a Cunarder. The artist has not paid attention to detail but has concentrated on the painterly effects and the colouring on the ships, sea and sky. He has consciously delineated the patterns created on the sides of the ships and on the water.
Title
A Convoy of the First World War
Date
c.1918
Medium
oil on board
Measurements
H 53.5 x W 73 cm
Accession number
BHC0668
Work type
Painting