01 Work, The Art of War, Frank Brangwyn's Mater Dolorosa Belgica (Our Lady of Sorrows), with footnotes

Frank Brangwyn (1867–1956)

Mater Dolorosa Belgica (Our Lady of Sorrows), c. 1915

Oil on canvas

H 159 x W 234 cm

William Morris Gallery

Painted in 1915, Mater Dolorosa Belgica (Our Lady of Sorrows) conveys Brangwyn's deep concern for Belgium in the midst of war. The cathedral is on fire, smoke rising from its roof. On the left are a group of refugees, and on the right a row of soldiers marching on. In the centre of the composition the Virgin Mary holds the dead body of Christ. It is a symbol of both sorrow and hope of resurrection.

Brangwyn poured his considerable energies into the war effort. He was driven by his personal loyalty to Belgium and a deep empathy for the fate of ordinary people. He designed 80 posters, which have become synonymous with First World War propaganda, as well as supporting refugee artists and contributing to fundraising exhibitions. More on this painting

Sir Frank William Brangwyn RA RWS RBA (12 May 1867 – 11 June 1956) was a Welsh artist, painter, watercolourist, printmaker, illustrator, and designer.

Brangwyn worked in a wide range of artistic fields. As well as paintings and drawings, he produced designs for stained glass, furniture, ceramics, glass tableware, mosaics, buildings and interiors, was a lithographer and woodcutter and was a book illustrator. It has been estimated that during his lifetime Brangwyn produced over 12,000 works. His mural commissions would cover over 22,000 sq ft (2,000 m2) of canvas, he painted over 1,000 oils, over 660 mixed media works (watercolours, gouache), over 500 etchings, about 400 wood-engravings and woodcuts, 280 lithographs, 40 architectural and interior designs, 230 designs for items of furniture and 20 stained glass panels and windows.

Brangwyn received some artistic training, probably from his father, and later from Arthur Heygate Mackmurdo and in the workshops of William Morris, but he was largely an autodidact without a formal artistic education. When, at the age of seventeen, one of his paintings was accepted at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, he was strengthened in his conviction to become an artist. Initially, he painted traditional subjects about the sea and life on the seas. His 1890 canvas, Funeral At Sea won a medal of the third class at the 1891 Paris Salon. The murals for which Brangwyn was famous, and during his lifetime he was very famous indeed, were brightly coloured and crowded with details of plants and animals, although they became flatter and less flamboyant later in his life. More on Sir Frank William Brangwyn

Please visit my other blogs: Art Collector, Mythology, Marine Art, Portrait of a Lady, The Orientalist, Art of the Nude and The Canals of Venice, Middle East Artists, 365 Saints, 365 Days, and Biblical Icons, also visit my Boards on Pinterest and my art stores at  deviantart and Aaroko

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01 Painting - Marine Art, Sir Frank Brangwyn's THE LAST FIGHT OF THE REVENGE, with Footnotes

Sir Frank Brangwyn, R.A., R.W.S. - 1867-1956

THE LAST FIGHT OF THE REVENGE

Oil on canvas

122 by 157.5cm., 48 by 62in

Private collection

The Battle of Flores was a naval engagement of the Anglo-Spanish War of 1585 fought off the Island of Flores between an English fleet of 22 ships under Lord Thomas Howard and a Spanish fleet of 53 ships under Alonso de Bazán. Sent to the Azores to capture the annual Spanish treasure convoy, when a stronger Spanish fleet appeared off Flores, Howard ordered his ships to flee to the north, saving all of them except the galleon Revenge commanded by Admiral Sir Richard Grenville. After transferring his ill crew men onshore back to his ship, he led the Revenge in a rear guard action against 53 Spanish ships. Allowing the British fleet to retire to safety. The crew of the Revenge sank and damaged several Spanish ships during a day and night running battle. The Revenge was boarded many times by different Spanish ships and repelled each attack successfully. When Admiral Sir Richard Grenville was badly wounded, his surviving crew surrendered? More on The Battle of Flores 

Sir Frank William Brangwyn RA RWS RBA (12 May 1867 – 11 June 1956), though born in Bruges, Belgium, was an Anglo-Welsh artist, painter, water colourist, virtuoso engraver and illustrator, and progressive designer.

In 1936 Brangwyn presented Bruges with over 400 works, now in the Arents House Museum. In return the King of Belgium made Brangwyn Grand Officer of the Order of Leopold II, and Bruges made him Citoyen d'Honneur de Bruges (only the third time the award had been given). He was knighted in 1941.

In 1896, he married Lucy Ray, who died in 1924. They had no children. He had an affair with Ellen Kate Chesterfield, which produced a son, James Barron Chesterfield-Brangwyn, born 1885 in Mevagissey, Cornwall. James later emigrated to Australia in 1909, initially working on a farm in Townsville, Queensland and later moving to Brisbane.

Brangwyn died on 11 June 1956 at his home in Sussex. More on Sir Frank William Brangwyn RA RWS RBA

Please visit my other blogs: Art Collector, Mythology, Marine Art, Portrait of a Lady, The Orientalist, Art of the Nude and The Canals of Venice, Middle East Artists, 365 Saints and 365 Days, also visit my Boards on Pinterest

Images are copyright of their respective owners, assignees or others. Some Images may be subject to copyright

I don't own any of these images - credit is always given when due unless it is unknown to me. if I post your images without your permission, please tell me.

I do not sell art, art prints, framed posters or reproductions. Ads are shown only to compensate the hosting expenses.

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Thank you for visiting my blog and also for liking its posts and pages.

Please note that the content of this post primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online.