Mont St Quentin

Place Europe: France, Picardie, Somme, Mont St Quentin
Accession Number ART13319
Collection type Art
Measurement sheet: 25.2 x 35.5 cm; backing: 38.2 x 57.4 cm
Object type Work on paper
Physical description watercolour, pencil on paper mounted on strawboard
Maker McCubbin, Louis Frederick
Place made France: Picardie, Somme, Mont St Quentin
Date made c 1919
Conflict Period 1910-1919
First World War, 1914-1918
Copyright

Item copyright: Copyright expired - public domain

Public Domain Mark This item is in the Public Domain

Description

Depicts a view of Mont St Quentin, on the Somme, France with trenches and war ravaged landscape. The son of artist Frederick McCubbin, Louis McCubbin was born in Melbourne in 1890, and studied at the National Gallery School from 1906 until 1911. In 1916, he enlisted with the 14th Battalion of the AIF and served in France from November 1917 with the 10th Field Ambulance. McCubbin undertook a camouflage course in 1918 and became one of five soldiers already serving with the AIF to be appointed an official war artist affiliated with the Australian War Records Section. McCubbin worked as Officer-in-Charge of Camouflage for the 3rd Division AIF. His appointment ceased in 1920. The same year, he returned to Australia and was employed, until 1930, by the Australian War Memorial to paint the backgrounds to the dioramas. He also produced numerous watercolour preparatory sketches and two series of paintings to complement the dioramas. McCubbin was re-employed by the Memorial from 1935-1936 to undertake commissions for large paintings. These include Peronne, Heavy artillery advancing through the town, 1918 (ART03043) and Sailly-le-Sec, 1918 (ART03122), both depicting war damage on the Western Front.