Posted Thursday 21 July 2011
Kennington was among a handful of British painters who distinguished themselves as official artists in both World Wars. His portraits were widely hailed as capturing the spirit of British and Allied servicemen in the struggle for victory.
Dr Black's interest in Kennington was sparked when he stumbled across a war memorial in Soissons, France, which had been carved by the artist for the Imperial War Graves Commission in 1927-28. "There was little information about Kennington in print, so I became determined to find out more about him," Dr Black explained. "In 1997 he was one of three artists I focussed on for my PhD study of the British soldier, or tommy, in World War I art."
Kennington fought with the 13th Kensington Battalion London Regiment during World War I, but was discharged from service in June 1915 after being wounded. During his convalescence he painted a portrait of his regiment, called The Kensington's at Laventine, Winter 1914. It caused a sensation when first exhibited in 1916 and was praised for capturing the quiet heroism of rank and file soldiers.
For much of his distinguished career, Kennington was counted amongst the ranks of exceptional portraitists such as Augustus John and Sandro Botticelli. Many of his artistic contemporaries rated him as the finest draughtsman of his day, and he enjoyed the admiration of prominent public figures such as Winston Churchill, George Bernard Shaw and T.E. Lawrence.
The exhibition - the first to be staged at the Royal Air Force museum for more than 12 years - will present 40 works, two thirds of which have not be seen in public since around 1945. They include pastels and charcoal drawings plucked from the stores of the RAF Museum, Imperial War Museum, National Maritime Museum, National Portrait Gallery and National Army Museum - as well as from four private collections. "The majority of works on display are portraits but I have included a selection of his rarely-seen landscapes and curious symbolic works drawn during the Second World War," Dr Black said.
The exhibition takes place in two parts, with 40 drawings on display from now to early November, when one third of the exhibits will be changed for new works. The show is open until May 2012.
12 November 2024
12 November 2024
11 November 2024