Moquet Farm, Pozieres

Places
Accession Number ART09910
Collection type Art
Measurement sheet: 41 x 53.6 cm; image: 41 x 53.6 cm
Object type Work on paper
Physical description black crayon and pencil on card
Place made France: Picardie, Somme, Albert Bapaume Area, Pozieres Area, Pozieres
Date made May 1917
Conflict First World War, 1914-1918
Copyright

Item copyright: Copyright expired - public domain

Public Domain Mark This item is in the Public Domain

Description

Depicts war damaged landscape at Moquet Farm, near Pozieres, France, with debris and smashed tree in the foreground and entrance to German reinforced dugout in background. The scene was drawn by Dyson at the time when the fighting had moved beyond Bapaume and made while showing John Masefield over Somme country while he was gathering material for his book on the Somme offensive, 'The old front line'. 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.