| Place | Europe: United Kingdom, England, Sussex, Eastbourne |
|---|---|
| Accession Number | ART93287 |
| Collection type | Art |
| Measurement | Overall: 45 x 37.8 cm |
| Object type | Painting |
| Physical description | oil on canvas |
| Date made | 15 August 1945 |
| Conflict |
Second World War, 1939-1945 |
| Copyright |
Item copyright: Copyright expired - public domain
|
Hal Hattam
Description
Depicts a portrait of Dr Howard (Hal) Hattam in uniform, painted while he was stationed at Gowrie House in Eastbourne, Sussex, to assist medically with the repatriation of Australian POWs. The artist, Stella Bowen, was here as an official war artist to represent the activities of the Australian servicemen who had been prisoners of war in Europe. The portrait is a solemn depiction of a man aged 32, whose eyes belie his years. Having served over four years in the Middle East, New Guinea and then Sussex, Hattam carries a war-weary expression in this portrait; his eyes seem tired from all that he has witnessed and experienced.