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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

'Forward! Forward To Victory Enlist Now' and 'Forward The Guns!'


Gunner 87

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The two attached paintings maybe known to some members though I hope of some interest. The artist, Lucy Kemp-Welch, 1869-1958, was an expert in equine subjects. In 1914 Kemp-Welch was commissioned by the British Parliamentary Recruiting Committee and as a result produced the widely published 'Forward! Forward To Victory Enlist Now' poster. The second painting, 'Forward The Guns!' was completed in 1917 and reputedly required eight detachments on Salisbury Plain to charge towards the artist while she stood behind the easel.

Among other notable work, Lucy Kemp-Welch illustrated for Anna Sewell's 'Black Beauty' modelling the horse on Sir Robert Baden-Powell's mount, Black Prince.

Forward! Forward To Victory Enlist Now.png

Forward The Guns!.png

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  • 1 month later...

One of my favourite Equine artists the other being Sir Alfred Munnings!

LKW seems to be largely forgotten these days and she never got the recognition she deserved in her lifetime. She was rejected membership to the Royal Academy  the by the selection committee, (All men) chiefly because she was a Woman!

 

Chris 

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2 minutes ago, Chris Foster said:

One of my favourite Equine artists the other being Sir Alfred Munnings!

LKW seems to be largely forgotten these days and she never got the recognition she deserved in her lifetime. She was rejected membership to the Royal Academy  the by the selection committee, (All men) chiefly because she was a Woman!

 

Chris 

 Thank you Chris, I didn't know she was rejected at the Royal Academy. Odd considering her mentor was Hubert von Herkomer. It may explain why some of her work including my favourite, The Morning, still hangs, or did until recently, at the Bushey Museum.

LKW.png

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Much to Herkermor's frustration that she was never excepted, as she was nominated on several occasions  .

This extract from The Life and Work of Lucy Kemp-Welch, By David Messum , goes into more detail-

 

LKW.jpg

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30 minutes ago, Chris Foster said:

Much to Herkermor's frustration that she was never excepted, as she was nominated on several occasions  .

This extract from The Life and Work of Lucy Kemp-Welch, By David Messum , goes into more detail-

 

LKW.jpg

 

 Thank you for sharing that Chris, it's a shame as she certainly deserved membership at the RA. At least HM Government saw fit to commission her for war work. I spent much time where LKW lived and visited the 'Bushey Church and Pond' often opposite her cottage on the high road. There is now a Blue Plaque recognising her as an artist.

 

Regarding Sr Alfred Munnings, i like the story about him coming under fire on the Western Front as the Canadian unit he was painting had to withdraw... 

 

 

Edited by Gunner 87
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Two more pictures attributed to Lucy Kemp Welch are “The Leaders of a Heavy Gun Team”  and “Big Guns to the Front” .

aeff2a3250bcc73474144570a3642995.jpg

“Big Guns to the Front” .

 

Trying to find what “The Leaders of a Heavy Gun Team” looks like.

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4 minutes ago, Gunner 87 said:

 

 Thank you for sharing that Chris, it's a shame as she certainly deserved membership at the RA. At least HM Government saw fit to commission her for war work. I spent much time where LKW lived and visited the 'Bushey Church and Pond' often opposite her cottage on the high road. There is now a Blue Plaque recognising her as an artist.

 

Regarding Sr Alfred Munnings, i like the story about him coming under fire on the Western Front as the Canadian unit he was painting had to withdraw... 

 

 

One day Gunner, I intend to visit Bushey as I did, Munnings's former home in Dedham, to see the exhibition  of his paintings he produced whilst  commissioned by the Canadian's to paint the Cavalry ! He was well regarded by the men he painted, at times he was well in view of the German Gunners.

I noted a few yrs ago that LKW's grave in the churchyard at  Bushey had been neglected over the years, until the Trustees of Bushey Museum and  Hertsmere Borough Council put up the money to have it restored !

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Perhaps a lesser known painting, "The Straw Ride-Russley Park Remount Dep't Wiltshire, completed in January 1919. Art.IWM 3160, The IWM Collection

 

 

The Straw Ride-Russley Park Remount Dep't, Wiltshire.jpg

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38 minutes ago, ianjonesncl said:

Two more pictures attributed to Lucy Kemp Welch are “The Leaders of a Heavy Gun Team”  and “Big Guns to the Front” .

aeff2a3250bcc73474144570a3642995.jpg

“Big Guns to the Front” .

 

Trying to find what “The Leaders of a Heavy Gun Team” looks like.

According to Google, “The Leaders of a Heavy Gun Team” now in the Royal Artillery Institution 

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8 minutes ago, Chris Foster said:

According to Google, “The Leaders of a Heavy Gun Team” now in the Royal Artillery Institution 

 

thank you @Chris Foster and @ianjonesncl. very much appreciate your comments and interest. 

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