Friday, January 24, 2020

Two World Wars

The third gallery in the Canadian History Hall at the Museum starts with the First World War and goes to the current day. The Great War was a time of great change for the nation.


This uniform coat belonged to Sergeant Alexander Reid of the 16th Canadian Infantry Battalion, who served through the war and was decorated on several occasions. At the Second Battle of Arras in September 1918, he led troops to capture a German gun emplacement, using his bayonet to finish off the enemy.


Here we have recruitment posters of the time, in both languages.


Two works by members of The Group of Seven are here. The Lawren Harris quote included is quite fitting.


This untitled landscape is by A.J. Casson.


While A.Y. Jackson painted Eskimo Summer Camp.


The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, otherwise known as Radio-Canada for French speakers in the country, came into being as a public broadcasting service during the Depression.


Just as Canada had gone to war from the beginning in the First World War, such was the case in the Second World War. Photographs here include our wartime prime minister, William Lyon Mackenzie King addressing the nation, and hosting Winston Churchill, Franklin Roosevelt, and the governor-general of the time, the Earl of Athlone, at the First Quebec Conference during the war.


Canadians worked at home and abroad for the war effort.

28 comments:

  1. Important reminders of terrible times.

    ReplyDelete
  2. These times were very well documented

    ReplyDelete
  3. "Pour protéger notre Liberté" is a good reason to stand up.

    ReplyDelete
  4. The posters from that era are fascinating.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Let's not do that again. It would be cataclysmic.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I'm with AC. We are headed for WW III. Something has to give.

    ReplyDelete
  7. @Lady Fi: true.

    @Red: true.

    @Iris: it is.

    @Revrunner: I agree.

    @Anvilcloud: it would be.

    @Jennifer: hopefully not.

    ReplyDelete
  8. The beauty and timelessness of the works of the Group of Seven is in stark contrast to the propaganda to urge us to go out and slaughter each other - or as you cite, to finish off the enemy with the bayonet.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I am looking forward to seeing the movie 1917. This was a good intro really.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Those paintings are great. I love the Eskimo Summer Camp.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I like the painted landscape by Casson. Beautiful colours.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Wonderful historical exhibit and photos ^_^

    Happy Moments to You,
    A ShutterBug Explores,
    aka (A Creative Harbor)

    ReplyDelete
  13. I would love to see the displays on both World War I and World War II. The posters from WWII always fascinate me!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Great exhibits. The paintings are beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Excellent exhibition! I like the old posters.

    ReplyDelete
  16. @Jan: I do too.

    @David: true.

    @Marie: I have yet to see it.

    @RedPat: that's how it seems.

    @Sharon: I agree!

    @Marleen: indeed.

    @Carol: thank you.

    @Sharon: me too.

    @Tamago: very much so.

    @Bill: thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Wonderful photos of the exhibit. I was wondering if you had seen the new movie about WWI, "1917"?

    ReplyDelete
  18. I always find the Group of Seven paintings interesting.

    ReplyDelete
  19. I liked the Harris quote also. One of my blogs is all about the connection of art and life.

    ReplyDelete
  20. I saw the movie 1917 and learned quite a lot about the war in its depiction of World War I.

    ReplyDelete
  21. I agree with Pat, we really never do learn and. It comes to war!

    ReplyDelete
  22. ...let's hope that there is NEVER a third.

    ReplyDelete
  23. I enjoyed seeing the paintings and posters, and agree with Tom above!

    All the best Jan

    ReplyDelete
  24. @Denise: I haven't seen it yet.

    @Joanne: it really is.

    @Kay: so do I.

    @Barbara: thanks!

    @Maywyn: they are.

    @DJan: I have to see it.

    @Grace: we don't, it seems.

    @Tom: definitely not.

    @Jan: thank you.

    ReplyDelete