War Art

June 20-August 1, 1943 (extended from July 20)

Overview: 122 paintings and watercolors, prints and drawings were made in United States battle zones by 9 artists, to provide an eyewitness record of wartime activities. These works were commissioned by Life magazine with the cooperation of the War and Navy Departments. From the beginning of the project in 1941, the pictures were reproduced in Life magazine, reaching an audience of 4 million readers, far more than would be drawn to an art exhibition. Before the works were given to the United States government, the exhibition went on a nationwide tour including museums in New York, Chicago, Toledo, and 11 other cities.

Location: Ground Floor, Central Gallery, West Central Lobby

Catalogue: War Art, a Catalogue of Paintings Done on the War Fronts by American Artists for Life, foreword by Francis Henry Taylor. Chicago: Time, Inc., 1943.

Other venues:

New York

Chicago

Toledo and elsewhere

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