Fortunino Matania: War Illustrator

Discovery Museum   Hatton Gallery   World War 1
Posted by administrator on February 19, 2015     Permalink     Leave a comment

A guest post by Marleen Vincenten, Assistant Keeper on the Wor Life 1914-1918 project. 

In May 1916, Muirhead Bone was appointed as the first official British War Artist. Some of his work, together with that of fellow war artists like Paul Nash, Christopher Nevinson and Wyndham Lewis, was on show at the Hatton Gallery as part of Screaming Steel: War, Art and Trauma. These artists had made a name for themselves in the art world before the war started, and were acknowledged by the art establishment.

Portraits of various war artists and poets in Screaming Steel: War, Art and Trauma. This exhibition took place at the Hatton from September till December 2014. Photo: Colin Davison.

Portraits of various war artists and poets in Screaming Steel: War, Art and Trauma. This exhibition took place at the Hatton from September till December 2014. Photo: Colin Davison.

 

One of the official war artists whose work wasn’t considered of high artistic merit, was the Italian-born Fortunino Matania (1881-1963). The Imperial War Museum at the time rejected one of his works, while critics saw him as a ‘mere illustrator’. In terms of the general public however, he enjoyed great success and he had a massive influence on his contemporaries’ perception of the war. His hundreds of illustrations of the war effort that appeared in The Sphere magazine had a far reach, both in Britain and abroad. He portrayed life at the front as well as what happened at home.

An example of the popularity of his work can be found in When the Lamps Went Out, the First World War exhibition at the Discovery Museum. This handkerchief was designed by Matania to raise funds for Italian Day. On this day, 7 October 1915, Italian companies in London sought to demonstrate their commitment to the Allied cause. The handkerchief shows an Italian and British soldier with the figure of Victory behind them.

 

Handkerchief designed by Fortunino Matania, part of the collection of the Discovery Museum

Handkerchief designed by Fortunino Matania, part of the collection of the Discovery Museum

 

 

The image previously appeared on the cover of The Sphere on 28 August 1915, with the following explanation: “This beautiful drawing has been presented by Signor Fortunino Matania to his compatriots of the Italian organisations in London who have arranged for an Italian celebration on ‘Italian Day’, October 7th, when it is intended that the above design shall be disposed of in the streets in the form of a souvenir pocket handkerchief. The sole copyright of the drawing has been vested by Signor Matania in the hands of the Italian Red Cross Society’.

 

The object on display in When the Lamps Went Out: Life on Tyneside in the First World War. Photo: Colin Davison

The object on display in When the Lamps Went Out: Life on Tyneside in the First World War. Photo: Colin Davison

 

A special visit

Art   Laing Art Gallery   Support Us   Volunteering
Posted by administrator on February 18, 2015     Permalink     Leave a comment
 HRH and JY with the portrait
HRH The Duchess of Cornwall and Jonathan Yeo
Recently the Laing Gallery had a special visitor, Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall met Jonathan Yeo, renowned portrait artist, who gave her a personal tour of his exhibition and of course she was able to see her own portrait.  Jonathan had painted the picture over a number of visits to Clarence House so this was the first time that the Duchess had seen the finished portrait.
 
 
Her Royal Highness also had time to see some of the other impressive artworks from the Laing’s permanent exhibitions and time to meet gallery staff and volunteers.
 
 
There were some double-takes from unsuspecting visitors using the cafe when the Duchess was guided through to our impressive marble hall as the visit was hush hush on a need to know basis.
 
 
Join us for more exhibitions coming to the gallery this year – you never know who you may bump into!
You can contact us on 0191 261 0962, e-mail us art@flag.fslife.co.uk or pop in and see us, there’s usually someone in the office on Tuesday and Wednesday’s. You can also print out an application form by clicking here.

Segedunum Roman Fort during the First World War

Segedunum Roman Fort   World War 1
Posted by administrator on February 13, 2015     Permalink     Comments (2)

As part of the ‘Wor Life’ project we have been researching all our venues to see what was going on at each of them during the First World War. We’ve found some really interesting stories that we’ll be sharing over the next few weeks.

Swan Hunters staff institute as seen from the bottom of Swans Bank, around 1914

Swan Hunters staff institute as seen from the bottom of Swans Bank, around 1914

The site of Segedunum Roman Fort, Baths & Museum was completely covered with buildings and streets during the First World War however academics did know of the existence of the fort and emergency archaeology had been carried out.  The building that is now used as offices for museum staff was erected in 1914 as a staff institute for Swan Hunters workers.  It contained a dining room, kitchen, stores, gymnasium, library, billiard table and a rest room. When a roll of honour was produced in October 1915 to honour the men from Swan Hunters who had given their lives in the War it was placed in the staff institute.  The site of the current shop and café was occupied by a shooting range.

Rock Art from Birney Hill

Great North Museum: Hancock
Posted by administrator on February 11, 2015     Permalink     Leave a comment

One of the Great North Museum’s most recent acquisitions is a fine example of rock art that was found at Birney Hill near Ponteland during an archaeological investigation.  The sandstone rock, weighing nearly 3 tonnes, is decorated with distinctive cup and ring symbols that are a common feature of prehistoric rock art.  It is highly unlikely that the rock was originally from Birney Hill as it is clearly a part of a much larger rock that has been recut at some stage.  It is possible that it was brought to Birney Hill from another location and was then used as part of a building or some other structure.

 

 

Using a crane to lift the Birney Hill Rock into place.

Using a crane to lift the Birney Hill Rock into place.

 

Birney Hill Rock

Birney Hill Rock

 

The rock joins an extensive collection of other pieces of rock art from Northumberland, some of which is on display in the Ice Age to Iron Age Gallery of the Great North Museum.  This type of artwork was produced in Britain from the early Neolithic up to the Bronze Age; a period of well over two thousand years.  The majority of rock art is found in the landscape on rocky outcrops or boulders and it is likely that the Birney Hill rock originally came from such a context.  The meaning of the abstract symbols on rock art is not known, although it is thought that any meanings they had may well have changed over time.  By the Bronze Age many examples of rock art are associated with burials.  Carved slabs were used to cover Bronze Age burial cairns, known as cists.  The designs on these slabs were always placed so that they faced inwards towards the deceased and it is clear that the symbols were associated in some way with beliefs about the dead.  Originally they were probably connected with the belief system of people living in the Neolithic and there have been numerous theories about their significance.  Suggestions range from the idea that they were maps or territorial markers to the notion that they were connected with shamanistic rituals perhaps involving hallucinogenic drugs.  The abstract nature of the designs, produced by communities with no form of written records, means that it is impossible to produce a definitive answer to the question of meanings.

Rock art in the Ice Age to Iron Age Gallery

Rock art in the Ice Age to Iron Age Gallery

The North East of England is particularly blessed with large quantities of rock art in the landscape and a number of projects have been carried out over the years to map this phenomenon.  Newcastle University, for example, has produced a website (http://rockart.ncl.ac.uk/) that documents the remarkable work of Stan Beckenstall, who has spent over 40 years finding and recording examples of rock art in Northumberland.

The rock from Birney Hill is an impressive addition to the Great North Museum’s rock art collection and will extend our knowledge of this enigmatic art form.  The rock is currently located in the museum’s grounds near the school’s entrance on Claremont road.

South Shields Museum and Art Gallery during the First World War

South Shields Museum & Art Gallery   World War 1
Posted by administrator on February 4, 2015     Permalink     Leave a comment

As part of the ‘Wor Life’ project we have been researching all our venues to see what was going on at each of them during the First World War. We’ve found some really interesting stories that we’ll be sharing over the next few weeks.

There was an exhibition of drawings by Bruce Bairnsfather at South Shields Museum in 1917-18 which was very popular, the drawings were humorous depictions of life at the front.

There was an exhibition of drawings by Bruce Bairnsfather at South Shields Museum in 1917-18 which was very popular, the drawings were humorous depictions of life at the front.

At the time of the First World War South Shields Museum and Art Gallery was used primarily as a Public Library with a museum and art gallery upstairs.

There were a lot of changes at the Library during the war.  The demand for books relating to the War and the various countries affected by the War was very high and a special bookcase was created to hold such items.  The use of the newsroom, where the daily newspapers were kept, increased and the reference department had a supply of ‘war maps’ which showed activity in France and Belgium.

All four of the male assistant staff members joined the army and were replaced by three female assistants; however the Chief Librarian got an exemption from the army.  All but one of the male staff members returned from the war.  Mr R.M.Daniel, who had worked at the library for 14 years and was called up on the first day of the war, was declared missing and then presumed dead in March 1918.