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Britain's Call to Arms
Item Code: FB-britaincallarm-p-u
Lithograph
Signed
Unsigned
Width (cm)
152
Height (cm)
105.5
Date of Work
1914
Britain's Call to Arms poster was designed for the purpose of Army recruiting during World War One.
When the First World War began in 1914, the British Parliamentary Recruiting Committee (PRC) commissioned posters to encourage men to enlist in the armed forces. Frank Pick, the commercial manager of the Underground Electric Railways who subsequently gained a historic reputation for setting high standards in advertising graphics, refused to hang the PRC's posters in his stations because of their poor design. Instead he commissioned Frank Brangwyn and Gerald Spencer Pryse. This design by Brangwyn was considered too horrific by the War Office and it asked that the poster be withdrawn. However, it drew such huge numbers of recruits that the War Office relented.
When the First World War began in 1914, the British Parliamentary Recruiting Committee (PRC) commissioned posters to encourage men to enlist in the armed forces. Frank Pick, the commercial manager of the Underground Electric Railways who subsequently gained a historic reputation for setting high standards in advertising graphics, refused to hang the PRC's posters in his stations because of their poor design. Instead he commissioned Frank Brangwyn and Gerald Spencer Pryse. This design by Brangwyn was considered too horrific by the War Office and it asked that the poster be withdrawn. However, it drew such huge numbers of recruits that the War Office relented.
Anglo-Welsh artist Frank Brangwyn was actually born in Bruges (1867), but his family returned to London when he was eight years old. He took to sketching regularly in his early teens and, aged 18, Brangwyn exhibited at the Royal Academy for the first time. During the 1890s he produced book illustrations, continuing to do this for the rest of his career.In the 1900s Brangwyn began designing furniture, textiles, ceramics and other media. He was made an Official War artist in World War I, gaining repute through his posters, and was further recognised with an RA appointment (1919) and a knighthood (1941). Brangwyn was given a major retrospective exhibition at the Royal Academy, the first time this honour had been accorded to a living artist.
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14 Orange Street, Uppingham
Rutland, LE15 9SQ, UK
+44 (0) 1572 821424
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Mon-Sat: 9.30am - 5.30pm
Sunday: 11.00am - 4.00pm
The gallery is now open to visitors by appointment only. We are making regular weekly broadcasts on goldmark.tv where you can catch up on the latest news from the gallery. You can buy from us online or contact us by email or telephone. We look forward to hearing from you soon.