“Let ‘Em All Come” Original WW1 PC Artwork

[Owen]

I bought this a while ago, couldn't resist it.     It's an original WW1 gouache artwork design (for a Post Card), signed by the artist J.H.R. (John H. Roberts), and with artists stamp on the reverse (J. H. Roberts, The Studio, 12 Grand Avenue, Hove, Sussex).   In addition to the 'Red, White and Blue' ....I think that the iconic imagery of the British Lion, standing on ‘the green grass of home’ upon the White Cliffs of Dover, facing the enemy, under a flying Union Jack, really captures the sentiment of First World War British home front sentiment; a strong sense of patriotism, keeping morale up and our island nation sense of history and invincibility.    Or, maybe I am being over sentimental!   Anyway, thought I would share it...

BTW, gouache is a type of water-soluble paint that, unlike watercolour, is opaque so the white of the paper surface does not show through.

Owen

 

 

[Alex K]

Nice, is it actually postcard sized or larger?

 

Alex

[Paul C]

I really like it. It speaks of British pride.

[peter monahan]

And now i know what 'goauche' is.  Thanks, Owen!  Great painting.  I used several similarly themed prints when I organized an exhibit on India troops in WWI, mostly variations on the 'Old Lion defended by her cubs' theme, with various cubs labelled Canada, India, Australia and so on. 

[Egorka]

Wonderful and evocative! 

[Owen]

Thanks all, glad you like it!   Yes, postcard sized...wish it was poster sized, but good things come in small packages my mum always said.  Ahem, I had to look up gouache before buying it...  

What I would like to know is whether the design materialised into a postcard.  I have googled it to death, but nada.  

Thanks,

Owen

[Spasm]

He was born in India. I think there's a couple more available on ebay at a very reasonable cost if you look him up on there.

I'll just check...... yep, still there, his Hercules and Flora designs. 

[Owen]

1 hour ago, Spasm said:

He was born in India. I think there's a couple more available on ebay at a very reasonable cost if you look him up on there.

I'll just check...... yep, still there, his Hercules and Flora designs. 

That's really helpful, thank you for letting me know.  To keep the military theme, I bought the 'Hercules' card, which I think is a tongue in cheek take on Army PT Instructors, then the Army Gymnastic Staff and now, of course, the Royal Army Physical Taining Corps.  The 'weakling' is wearing the colours of the kit worn by Army PT Instructors and the crossed swords (albeit foils in the picture) is their emblem.

Hercules

The seller provides a bit more info on Roberts too, which is helpful.  He was born in India and his father was a Major General in HM's Indian Army....can't be too hard to track down who his father was.

thanks again,

Owen

 

Edited February 23, 2017 by Owen
Correcting info

[Owen]

Just found the father John Roberts in the 1911 Census where he describes himself as a retired Major General of the Indian Staff Corps.  Back to the research!

Ok, so the father of John Henry Roberts (the artist) was John Roberts, who served in the HEIC, with the 40th Regt of Native Infantry.  He was an Ensign in 1855 when he married his wife Mary ((in India), a Captain in 1859 when his daughter Alice was born (in India) and a full Colonel, on 19 Sep 1861, when his son John Henry was born (in India).  He retired in 1883 as a Major General with the Indian Army Staff Corps and died in England on 1922.  

He was clearly with the 40th NI during the period of the Indian Mutiny...the 40th NI mutinied at Dinapore on 25 July. Marched to Arrah where they took part in the Siege of Arrah (27 July – 3 August 1857).  An 8-day defence, of a fortified outbuilding, occupied by a combination of 18 civilians and 50 members of the Bengal Military Police Battalion, against 2,500 – 3,000 mutinying Bengal Native Infantry sepoys from three regiments and an estimated 8,000 men from irregular forces commanded by Kunwar Singh, the local zamindar or chieftain. (Wikipedia).

Whilst all the above is a diversion from the cards, as a collector of medals, it is good to know that the artist of these cards came from a military family and one connected to an era I collect to.

Owen

 

Edited February 23, 2017 by Owen
To add info.

[Spasm]

Owen - Great stuff. Sometimes ebay is well worthwhile. And they will be a really nice addition to the collection. Result.

Steve

[Owen]

For completeness, here is Hercules...a fine figure of a man!