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Description: | whole: Sheet with the details of the printer who produced the portfolio.
John Walker's portfolio series of twenty-seven prints entitled 'Passing Bells' reflects on the Western Front during the
First World War. The series was inspired by the recollections of the artist's father, John Henry Walker, who saw action during the Battle
of the Somme in 1916 and at Passchendaele, being wounded in the former. The title of the series is derived from the opening line of Wilfred
Owen's famous poem 'Anthem for Doomed Youth': "What passing-bells for those who die as cattle?". This theme is reflected in the recurring
motif of a sheep's skull, the implication of vulnerable individuals being led en masse to slaughter. In this way the prints reflect on the
accrued cultural stereotype of the Western Front, utilising war poetry and subsequent hindsight. They also take inspiration from the well
known depictions of war in the artwork of Goya, Picasso and Dix. | Publisher: | http://www.iwm.org.uk | Subjects: | artist's response | Source: | Imperial War Museum | Creator: | Tyler Graphics Ltd | Identifier: | http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/o... | Go to resource |
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