| Places | |
|---|---|
| Accession Number | ART02255 |
| Collection type | Art |
| Measurement | sheet: 53.4 cm x 72.8 cm |
| Object type | Work on paper |
| Physical description | brush and ink, charcoal on paper |
| Place made | Belgium: Flanders, West-Vlaanderen, Passchendaele, Belgium: Flanders, West-Vlaanderen, Passchendaele |
| Date made | October 1917 |
| Conflict |
First World War, 1914-1918 |
| Copyright |
Item copyright: Copyright expired - public domain
|
Coming back from Passchendaele
Description
Depicts a group of weary Australian soldiers from either the 2nd or 3rd Australian Division walking along the road in Passchendaele. The soldiers are carrying personal and military equipment, one has a rolled stretcher and one a rifle. Dyson noted of this work: 'I never drew a single line except to show war as the filthy business that it was'. In this drawing his empathy with the weary soldiers is keenly communicated. Will Dyson was the first Australian official war artist to visit the front during the First World War, travelling to France in December 1916, remaining there until May 1917, making records of the Australian involvement in the war. He was formally appointed as an official war artist, attached to the AIF, in May 1917, working in France and London throughout the war. His commission was terminated in March 1920.