| Place | Europe: France |
|---|---|
| Accession Number | ART50040 |
| Collection type | Art |
| Measurement | Framed: 48.3 x 120.2 cm x 6.4 cm; Unframed: 40.1 cm x 112.2 cm x 1.8 cm |
| Object type | Painting |
| Physical description | oil on canvas |
| Maker |
Streeton, Arthur |
| Place made | United Kingdom: England, Greater London, London |
| Date made | 1918 |
| Conflict |
First World War, 1914-1918 |
| Copyright |
Item copyright: Copyright expired - public domain
|
French siege gun
Description
This is a French 340 mm Mle 1912 siege gun on a sliding mount, under a camouflaged tarpaulin. Three figures of soldiers standing on the mount show the scale and impressive size of the gun. Placing the gun in shadow throws it into bolder relief giving it a greater force and presence. Streeton's work shows how warfare changed in the First World War as a result of the introduction of comparatively sophisticated technology. By taking the gun as his subject Streeton managed to show how ordinary soldiers might have been overwhelmed by the power of these new machines.