Faces of World War 1
Sometimes when you’re exploring your family history you find something really unexpected. That was the case for retired GP Doug Jenkinson, who discovered that he was related to Swiss artist Eugene Burnand.
Researching Burnand’s life, Doug discovered that he lived in Paris during and after World War 1. An accomplished portraitist, he came up with the idea of making portraits of the many nationalities involved.
He sought out ‘representative types’ of all nationalities, got to know them, gained their confidence, and captured their characters. Using pastels, and working ‘knee to knee’ Burnand’s pictures bring us face to face with people caught up in a horrific war.
Looking out at us, frozen in time, their expressions, solemn, proud, frightened, resigned and exhausted speak to us across the years.
49 allied nations were involved in World War 1, and Burnand portrayed over 40 of them. The originals are in an obscure corridor of the Musée de la Légion d’honneur in Paris. Doug has secured copies of them to bring them to a wider audience.
The exhibition will be on display from 21st September 2017 until 25th November 2017. Admission is free and donations are welcome.
