| Places | |
|---|---|
| Accession Number | ART19745 |
| Collection type | Art |
| Measurement | sheet: 63.3 cm x 43.2 cm; image: 58.5 x 38.4 cm |
| Object type | Work on paper |
| Physical description | brush and ink with wash, heightened with white over pencil on card |
| Maker |
Cross, Stan |
| Place made | Australia: Western Australia, Perth |
| Date made | c. 1917-1919 |
| Conflict |
Period 1910-1919 First World War, 1914-1918 |
| Copyright |
Item copyright: Unlicensed copyright |
Here they come back...
Description
A young boy ("W.A.") gestures towards a group of returning Australian soldiers outside, while a cleaning woman ("Government") holds a mop and bucket while holding her right hand up defensively. The room in which they stand ("Repatriation Villa") is filthy; old enlistment posters are in tatters and falling off the walls while cobwebs cover almost every other surface. It is a comment on the lack of preparation of the government for the returning soldiers. Industries such as agriculture, mining, dairy farming and secondary industry were unprepared for the influx of interested veterans.