PAINTING

Description: WATERCOLOR PAINTING WITH 6.3CM (W) MAT FRAME. IMAGE IS OF JESUS ON CROSS, WITH THREE SMALLER CROSSES, LEAFLESS BRANCHES, AND BUILDING RUINS BELOW. SIGNED AT BOTTOM LEFT "VICTORY W.A. SUGGATE 1916". HOLE THROUGH CENTRE OF RIGHT EDGE OF PICTURE. HANDWRITTEN IN INK ON REVERSE TOP RIGHT "CROWBOROUGH FEB. 12 1917 RUINS OF NEUVE[?] CHAFAFALE CHURCH". ON RIGHT SIDE OF THE PRINT THERE IS A HOLE NEAR THE MATTING.

History: BELONGED TO DONOR'S FATHER. FOR HISTORY SEE P19980039001-GA/PERMANENT FILE. *UPDATE* IN 2015 COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT JANE EDMUNDSON CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF ART OBJECTS. SHE WAS UNABLE TO FIND ANY INFORMATION ON AN ARTIST NAMED W.A. SUGGATE OR A CHURCH NAMED NEUVE CHAFAFALE, BUT DID FIND VIA THE SUSSEX COURIER ONLINE THAT CROWBOROUGH, AS WRITTEN ON THE PAINTING'S BACK, IS A TOWN IN EAST SUSSEX, ENGLAND, WHERE COMMONWEALTH TROOPS WERE STATIONED AND TRAINED DURING WORLD WAR I. DURING THE LATTER HALF OF THE WAR, A CANADIAN MACHINE GUN TRAINING SCHOOL WAS OPENED AT THE CAMP, AND A MILITARY HOSPITAL THERE REGULARLY TREATED BRITISH, AUSTRALIAN, AND CANADIAN CASUALTIES. CROWBOROUGH WAS ALSO A TOURIST DESTINATION LEADING UP TO AND DURING WWI. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT OVER THE COURSE OF HIS MILITARY SERVICE IN WWI, JOCK PALMER, FATHER OF THE DONOR, PASSED THROUGH CROWBOROUGH. SEE PERMANENT FILE FOR HARDCOPIES OF ONLINE SOURCE MATERIAL.