Artists Fighting in World War II
Continuing to explore the art produced during and involved in World War II in conjunction with the release of The Monuments Men today, we turn our attention back to artists who served in combat. Apart from the combat photographers present on the frontlines—who weren’t always considered true artists—painters, designers, and all other sorts of artists were also sent into the thick of battle, building a collection of military artwork to be sent back to the States.
The Greatest Art Heist of All Time
The upcoming movie The Monuments Men, which hits theaters February 7, is based on the untold true story of the small group of men and women working with the Allied armies to locate, protect and return to their rightful owners the countless works of art looted and confiscated by the Nazi forces, in addition to cataloguing and evacuating art works deemed to be at risk. Their mission was one of cultural protection and restoration, and they remained in Europe for up to six years after the war identifying stolen works, as well as organizing artistic events for the war-ravaged countries.
World War II Through the Soldier’s Lens
With the upcoming release of George Clooney’s new movie The Monuments Men, (in theaters February 7) which is based on the untold true story of an army platoon who went to the front lines of WWII to rescue the world’s artistic masterpieces from Nazi thieves and return them to their rightful owners, we are inspired to examine art during wartime. What is not often reported in history is that many soldiers were artists in their own right.
