ART OF WAR | ANNA AIRY
Phil Jarman looks at her work.
In contrast to her sensitive portraits, artist Anna Airy captured the power of British industry in the First World War.
A more delicate approach to Airy’s work is evident in this portrait of Monica Burnand painted in 1916
Capturing the scale of heavy industry alongside the heat and energy evident in the production of machines and weapons made for war was a challenge met by Anna Airy, the first female war artist working in this particular environment. In a series of paintings that showed highly detailed depictions of the workings within a range of industrial settings, Airy’s accomplished draughtsmanship allied to her dramatic brushwork resulted in work of the highest calibre.
