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Description: | British artist served as officer with Honourable Artillery Company on Western Front, 1915-1919
REEL 1: Recollections of period as NCO with Honourable Artillery Company in GB, 1914-1915: memory of enlisting in Artists' Rifles and reasons for transferring to Honourable Artillery Company, 11/1914; training and billets; story of guarding German spy Hans Muller in Tower of London and witnessing execution, Recollections of operations as war artist with 7th Bn Honourable Artillery Company on Western Front, 1915-1919; posted to France, mid-1915; memory of Somme front, 9/1916; role as scout and making drawings of enemy positions; story of identifying and drawing enemy sniper position in Oppy Wood; attitude to importance of work as war artist; choice of subjects for drawings; reasons for receiving commission and appointment by National War Museum (IWM) as official war artist; story of borrowing Douglas 1914 staff car and learning to drive.
REEL 2 Continues: amusing story of staff car and bicycle; opinion of Major Beccles-Wilson and General Donald; memory of drawing General Byng; memory of post-war regimental dinner; reasons for work being obtained by National War Museum (IWM); opinion of how work was displayed in Museum.
REEL 3 Continues: opinion of artist John Nash; memory of Sir William Rothenstein; description of etching work; memory of returning to France ten years after war to make drawings; description of Ypres and making drawings; equipment and materials used; drawing and painting techniques; type of ink and paints; problems of working on battlefield.
REEL 4: Continues: story of being gassed while drawing German dugout; story of catching Spanish flu and hospital treatment; opinion of Roman Catholic priest in hospital; discussion of drawing 'The Three Graces'; discussion of drawing crashed plane; discussion of drawing 'A Penny All The Way' and memory of seeing 'Old Bill' buses at Front; story of drawing German engine in trees in 1916 and later series of drawings of engines; effects of First World War on later work.
REEL 5 Continues: Aspects of life and work as artist in GB, 1919-1975: influence of battlefield on landscapes; opinion of artists John and Paul Nash; attitude to technique of drawing; memory of Dame Laura Knight and Harold Sawkins; work for journal 'The Artist' and 'How To Do It' books; attitude to nature of war and role of war artist; effects of contracting TB and description of treatment; therapeutic value of art in hospitals; reason for teaching art in hospitals.
REEL 6 Continues: discussion of role played in development of occupational therapy; value of art as therapy; description of lecturing on art to forces during Second World War; content of lectures and materials used; importance of visual aids.
REEL 7 Continues: attitude to teaching of art; experiences of teaching in schools; use of television as medium for teaching art; working with BBC on art programme for children 'Sketch Club'; popularity of programme and story of meeting viewer; problems with fans and fan mail; attitude to teaching in art schools including Westminster School of Art.
REEL 8 Continues: problem of earning living as artist and memory of inter-war years; attitude to providing book illustrations and special techniques required; memory of studying at St John's Wood Art School; opinion of work of son Anthony Hill; further memories of studying at St John's Wood Art School including life classes.
REEL 9 Continues: illustrations for book 'Basic Anatomy'; techniques of life drawing and attitude to anatomy; opinion on how artists are represented in IWM and other collections; opinion of painter JMW Turner; attitude to art as a profession; opinion of art dealers; reflections on art and artists including own work. | Publisher: | http://www.iwm.org.uk | Source: | Imperial War Museum | Creator: | Darracott, Joseph C | Identifier: | http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/o... | Go to resource |
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