Encyclopedia

Australian official war artists

First World War Official War Artists

There were two separate commissioning schemes for artists during the First World War.

Ten Australian artists resident in England received appointments for generally not more than three months and were expected to produce at least twenty-five drawings during this time. This scheme was administered by the Australian High Commission in London, with official war correspondent Charles Bean as adviser. These artists received honorary commissions as officers.

First World War official war artists:

Five artists already serving with the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) were selected by Bean to be attached to the Australian War Records Section. (J. S. McDonald was also selected but ill health prevented him from taking up his appointment.) These artists are also official war artists, although they have previously been referred to as Australian War Records Section artists.

Second World War Official War Artists

Again during the Second World War there were two separate commissioning schemes for official war artists.

One scheme was administered by the Australian War Memorial and artists who were either already enlisted or civilians were given honorary commissions as officers. The other scheme was administered by Lieutenant Colonel John Treloar, director of the Australian Military History Section (who had been seconded from his pre-war position as Director of the Australian War Memorial). Artists who were already serving with the Army, Navy or Air Force, were personally selected by Treloar, and simply seconded to work as artists attached to the Military History Section.

Second World War official war artists:

Other Second World War Schemes

The following Commonwealth agencies also operated smaller commissioning schemes, and presented some of these works to the Australian War Memorial after the war.

RAAF War History Section

In 1945 three artists already serving with the RAAF were seconded to the RAAF War History Section as artists. Their works were later distributed between the Memorial, state galleries and RAAF bases.

RAAF official war artists:

RAN Historical Records Section

The following two artists were serving members of the RAN who were attached to the RAN Historical Records Section. Examples of their work were subsequently presented to the Memorial.

RAN official war artists:

  • Rex JULIUS (1914 -1944)
  • Jeffery WILKINSON (1921-1997)

Allied Works Council

In 1943, under the directorship of Sir Frank Packer, the Allied Works Council commissioned two artists employed with its manpower agency, the Civil Construction Corps, to record the activities of the AWC. These works were later presented to the Memorial.

Allied Works Council Official Artists:

Post-Second World War

BCOF Japan

In 1949 the artist George Colville approached the Army Director of Public Relations with a request to travel to Japan to depict the activities of British Commonwealth Occupation Force (BCOF) in Japan. It was agreed that the Army would provide him with transport and accommodation, the Memorial would provide art materials, and in exchange the Memorial would be able to select 20 of the resulting paintings for the collection.

BCOF Official Artist

Korean War Official War Artists

Two artists who had served during the Second World War were re-appointed during the Korean War.

  • Ivor HELE (1912-1993)
  • Frank NORTON (1916-1983)

Vietnam War Official War Artists

Two artists were appointed during this war. Unlike earlier commissions both artists were required to undergo jungle warfare training and expected to perform as active soldiers if necessary.

Peacekeeping (East Timor) Official War Artists

To date two artists have been appointed to depict Australia's involvement in Peacekeeping in East Timor.

“War against terrorism” 2001–present

The following artist was appointed in February 2002 to spend three weeks with the RAN in the Persian Gulf then fly to Diego Garcia (Indian Ocean) with the RAAF.

  • Peter CHURCHER (b. 1964)

Iraq 2003

One artist was appointed to depict Australia's involvement in the conflict in Iraq in 2003.

  • Lewis MILLER (b. 1959)

Afghanistan and Iraq 2003-

The following two artists, who work collaboratively, were appointed as official artists for Afghanistan and Iraq 2003- in 2007. They were attached to military bases in Kuwait, Bahrain, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Their task was to record and interpret the training, logistical, and operational activities of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel they encountered.