Name/Title
Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the End of the 2nd World WarEntry/Object ID
2023.04.07Description
Print
This striking work commemorates the end of World War II (1939-1945) on the occasion of its 50th anniversary. It features a large image of Winston Churchill, British Prime Minister during World War II with a backdrop of London's famous St. Paul's Cathedral surrounded by smoke and burning buildings, two national icons linked in the battle against fascism and the war with Nazi Germany.
The oval image has a custom window mat with a border of printed words from one or multiple of Churchill's inspirational wartime speeches, and a title along the lower edge.Artwork Details
Medium
Chromolithograph on paperSubject Place
Region
Western EuropeContinent
EuropeContext
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill, KG, OM, CH, TD, DL, FRS, RA (1874-1965) became an iconic image of Britain's stand against fascism. Churchill was a British statesman who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1940 to 1945 during the Second World War, and again from 1951 to 1955. Churchill rallied the British people and led the nation from the brink of defeat to victory. He shaped Allied strategy in the war, and he later alerted Western powers to the threat of the then Soviet Union.
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Sir Christopher Wren's St. Paul's Cathedral is one of the most famous and recognizable sights of London, and it's dome has dominated the skyline since 1711. One of the best-known images of the city during WWII was the Herbert Mason photograph of the cathedral surrounded in smoke during a Blitz bombing in late 1940 taken from the roof of the Daily Mail newspaper office in Carmelite Street. Reportedly, Winston Churchill telephoned the London Guildhall administration insisting that additional firefighting resources be directed to ensure that the cathedral, a critical symbol of the nation, be saved. While damaged and surrounded by a terrible cratered wasteland, the cathedral did survive. The Mason photograph may well have motivated the design of the commemorative print. Of note, Churchill's state funeral was held at St. Paul's Cathedral.
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The "Blitz" (from the term Blitzkrieg, the German word meaning 'lightning war'), was an intensive Nazi Germany bombing campaign against the United Kingdom in 1940-1941. The German Air Force (Luftwaffe) dropped bombs on cities across Great Britain, and London was among the important strategic targets and sustained heavy damage. Some 55,000 British civilian casualties were sustained through this bombing. This was part of the Battle of Britain, which marked the successful defense of Britain against the air raids conducted by the Luftwaffe after the fall of France. Victory for the Luftwaffe would have exposed Britain to invasion by the German army.Made/Created
Artist Information
Artist
Hooper, Alexis?Role
Print MakerDate made
1995Time Period
20th CenturyNotes
ARTIST BIOGRAPHY
Further research is requiredInscription/Signature/Marks
Type
Inscription, Signature, Date, TitleLocation
Lower left in pencil: Artist Proof
Lower right in pencil: Alexis? Hooper 98
In print:
- Oval image has a custom mat with a border of quotes from Churchill's inspirational speeches, such as his Battle of Britain speech including "Never was so much owed by so many to so few"
- Lower centre: Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the End of the 2nd World WarDimensions
Height
64.8 cmWidth
74.9 cmAcquisition
Acquisition Method
GiftDate
1995Notes
Plaque: Presented to the Union Club by Terry SInclair-Wise & Family 1995Relationships
Related Entries
Notes
Churchill-related entries:
2001.01.25 The Roaring Lion. Portrait of Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)
2001.01.52 Portrait of Sir Winston Churchill
2001.03.02 “We are all of us defending…a Cause…” Portrait of Winston Churchill
2023.04.07 Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the End of the 2nd World WarCopyright
Notes
Images are provided for research and reference use only. Permission to publish, copy, or otherwise use these images must be obtained from the copyright holder. It is the sole responsibility of the applicant to determine the copyright holder and to obtain permission(s) as needed.
