Battle of Vimy Ridge 1918

Richard Jack painted the Battle of Vimy Ridge, sometime during or after the First World War. This view of the war captures not the glory of battle, but its industrial character. Painted in a realist style, the image reflects the way the First World War saw artists experimenting with new ways of depicting conflict. The painting depicts not individual heroism, but rather the mechanics of war. Look at how artillery is foregrounded, with soldiers reduced to the role of technicians operating the gun. The rendering of the scene strips it of any romanticism, suggesting a modern, mechanized, and anonymous process. The Canadian War Memorials Fund, which commissioned this work, was set up to record Canada’s participation in the conflict. In these works, it aimed to shape public memory. By commissioning artists to produce images of war, these institutions played a crucial role in shaping public understanding of the conflict. As historians of art, we can explore the social and cultural factors that influenced its production and reception. We can also ask: what is the public role of such imagery?