1933

The Fall of London: The Horseguard

Tate

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Curatorial notes

Curator: James Boswell, born in 1906, created this intaglio print, "The Fall of London: The Horseguard." It's held at the Tate. Editor: It's incredibly stark. The heavy darkness really overwhelms any sense of hope. Curator: Boswell made several prints exploring the social impact of the Second World War. He wanted to show its profound effect on the city and its inhabitants. Editor: The composition certainly reinforces that. The fallen figure dominates the foreground, while the Horse Guard struggles in the background. It speaks to loss and disrupted power dynamics. Curator: Absolutely. The image engages with the trauma of war and the anxieties of a nation facing unprecedented destruction. Editor: It’s interesting to consider how Boswell uses shadow to portray not just physical destruction, but also a deeper societal collapse. Curator: The print’s power lies in its depiction of the human cost of conflict, challenging narratives of heroism by foregrounding vulnerability. Editor: This work reminds us that even in the face of such intense suffering, art can still provoke meaningful reflection.

REFLECTIONS

tateabout 1 year ago

http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/boswell-the-fall-of-london-the-horseguard-p11655

tateabout 1 year ago

The Horseguard is one of a series of eight small lithographs describing The Fall of London. Ron Heisler believes that they were originally conceived for a book by Frank McIlraith and Roy Connolly called Invasion From The Air which describes a Fascist invasion of England (information from Ron Heisler, August 2003). The theme of the book, which was published in 1934, is reminiscent of Boswell’s prints, which illustrate both popular uprisings in the City of London and horrific scenes of the city in ruins. The title of this print refers to the mounted guard who stands facing Whitehall on Horse Guards Parade in London. In contrast to this display of pageantry Boswell portrays a horrifying scene of two brutal murders in one of London’s primary thoroughfares. A man hangs limply from a crooked lamppost, and the guard and his horse are spread out awkwardly on the ground. The shadows cast by the arch of the bridge intensifies the sinister atmosphere of the scene. The bombed out buildings in the background are left over from the crowds of revolutionaries who have stormed the city leaving behind a trail of chaos and destruction.

The Fall of London: The Horseguard

James Boswell

Tate

Curatorial notes

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