Beaverbrook Art GalleryApril 2, 20200 Comments
Alfred Munnings and The Canadian War Memorials Fund
Alfred Munnings is most recognized today for his warhorse portraits. However, the history behind his road to war is not as easy as one would think. At the age of 20, Munnings lost sight in his right eye from an accident. This made it very unlikely for him to be drafted as a soldier. However, his artistic talent and his knowledge and love of horses would see him at the Western Front, not as a soldier, but as a war painter.
Max Aitken (later known as Lord Beaverbrook) understood the importance of art and history. He proposed a charity to employ artists while capturing paintings of the first world war. This became The Canadian War Memorials Fund. His fund would go on to employ over 100…