Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Sketch.

This is coolbert:

This is the sort of thing that Bert appreciates. The works of the military sketch artist. A person of artistic talent, WAR as portrayed with the sketch pad, the pencil, charcoal, colors, etc.

Scenes of battle and conflict, the daily life of the combat troop as seen by the "embedded" sketch artist.

Before the days of the single-lens-reflex [SLR] camera, the 8mm camera, the video-cam, etc., the sketch artist accompanying the troops doing a yeoman job - - presenting to the public the "face" of war.

An art form that is NOT gone. Hardly. Here with some examples of sketch art in the military context, first from the First World War [WW1] and then from the current Iraqi conflict:

1. "The Siege of Przemysl". WW1 combat sketch art of the British correspondent Seppings-Wright.






"Apparently as the Russian forces were entering
the city and taking care of the vanquished troops,
Austrian officers gave their parole to accept
surrender and not attempt escape. In return they
were allowed their freedom in the city for an
amount of time."

"British war-correspondant and illustrator,
H.C. Seppings-Wright accompanying the Russian
armies besieging Przemysl, made this sketch
as he was having a cup of tea with Russian
officers [the four gentlemen sitting at the
table, Seppings-Wright is the second from
the right]. So to see, there were no hard
feelings between victors and vanquished
and the café was doing a brisk business
with Russian and Austrian customers,
even during those eventful times."

[this particular sketch art of Seppings-Wright
evidently never published!]


See further and more complete sketch art of the Przemysl siege by Seppings-Wright!

2. AND from almost one hundred years later, the military sketch art of the Xavier Pick. English artist "embedded" with British troops in Iraq - - doing himself proud in the tradition of fellow countryman [from 100 years earlier] Seppings-Wright.

"In late 2008 British soldiers about to leave for Iraq are sketched by war artist, Xavier Pick who would be spending the next six weeks with them."

"In War and Paint: Diary of a Modern Day War Artist"





Almost a self-portrait by Xavier Pick.
Inside a British Bulldog IFV. NOTE the
sketchpad, the pens and brushes, the hands,
in the lower left corner. AND what exactly
is Xavier sketching?


See the entire "portfolio", the gallery/slide show of military sketch art as done by Xavier Pick. Thanks to the BBC! Xavier a very talented artist whose skill is to be greatly admired.

AND, those military officers of the opposing sides mixing freely in the cafe - - the aftermath of the surrender at Przemysl - - the type of event NEVER to happen again, a vestige of a bygone era, almost an attitude chivalrous in nature!

coolbert.

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