First World War and Art

The First World War had a striking effect in the art world, influencing both the style and themes of many artists. Our collection at Central Library includes an impressive range of books concerning art from the wartime period. Housed in the Art Library, the books cover various art styles ranging from pencil drawings to poster art. While many of the books are modern publications, some of our more intriguing titles were published during the wartime period.

One of our earliest titles is a 1917 publication called ‘The Western Front: Drawings by Muirhead Bone’ (available for reference use). Muirhead Bone was a Scottish draughtsman and etcher who became Britain’s first official war artist. Commissioned the British Government in 1916, Bone produced eyewitness wartime images that were used for propaganda and information purposes.

‘The Western Front’ contains over 200 drawings, which Bone produced during visits to war-torn France and other locations such as shipyards and munitions factories. The drawings are preceded by an introduction which is attributed to Field Marshal Douglas Haig (although this may have been written by an assistant).

The drawings in ‘The Western Front’ cover many aspects of the wartime situation. Bone often depicted daily life on the Western Front, showing the unforgiving conditions faced by soldiers in the trenches. He also drew medical facilities and ruined French architecture, highlighting the death and destruction caused by the conflict. There are also drawings which highlight the effects in wider society. These include drawings showing the manufacture or repair of war equipment.