Barrage Balloons (1940)
Photo: Paul Carter      
© Richard Eurich Paintings

Barrage Balloons

1940

Oil on panel
21.2 x 62.5 cm

Private Collection, UK


Bonfires | Flames | Smoke Panoramas Landscapes | Gardens Seascapes | Coastal Scenes Works | 1940 to 1949 Wartime

More details...

Recto: Signed and dated lower left: R. EURICH. 1940.

Aka: Barrage Balloons [Osborne Samuel]; Barrage balloon defences over Southampton Water during the Great War 1939 – 1945 [verso]

Verso: Transnational Arts label with title "Barrage Balloons"; label with inscription "Barrage balloon defences over Southampton Water during the Great War 1939 – 1945. Richard Eurich RA was War Artist to the Admiralty 1941 – 1945".

Other measurements: 21.2 X. 62.5 cm [REP]; 20 x 61 cm [Christie's]; 19.75 x 61.25 [Osborne Samuel]

England Hampshire Hythe Southampton Water The South Royal Navy aeroplane airplane barrage balloons boats bonfires camouflaged car cranes docks evening light figures in a landscape flag hangers military motorboats naval ship plane port ships slipway smoke soldiers steamer stubble uniforms war wartime windy

This painting was Richard’s first ‘War’ painting done for his own interest and not commissioned by the WAAC. It depicts a small hangar in Hythe on Southampton Water next to the Power Boat Company. The late afternoon light is making all the colours rich. The Water is busy with a range of shipping and the barrage balloons look like a birthday party celebration rather than preparation for invasion.

This picture demonstrates Richard’s prodigious visual memory as he was not allowed to make any notes of this ‘sensitive information’.

Philippa Bambach

Richard painted two more paintings set in Hythe after he was appointed an official war artist at the end of 1940 - A Motor Boat of the British Power Boat Company, Hythe (1941) and The British Power Boat Company (1941).

Provenance

IN COLLECTION | [unknown date]

in same private collection for over 30 years

AUCTIONED | 13th Jun 1980

"[title unknown]", Christie's, London

Lot 152

WITH | 2016

Osborne Samuel

IN COLLECTION | 2018

Private Collection, UK

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Provenance:

  • IN COLLECTION - [unknown date] - in same private collection for over 30 years
  • AUCTIONED - 13th Jun 1980 - "[title unknown]", Christie's, London
    Lot 152
  • IN COLLECTION - 2018 - Private Collection, UK

Exhibitions:

  • None recorded.

Notes:

  • 2016 - WITH
    Osborne Samuel

Related  

A Motor Boat of the British Power Boat Company, Hythe (1941)

Image © Crown copyright. National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London. Presented by the War Artists Advisory Committee 1947 (CC BY-NC-ND)

 

The British Power Boat Company (1941)

Image © National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London. Presented by the War Artists Advisory Committee 1947 (CC BY-NC-ND)

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