These historic art prints, created to boost morale during WWII, were once worth only $5
CTV
During the Second World War, Canada's greatest contemporary artists created paintings that became prints, which were then sent to army bases overseas. Winnipeg's Mayberry Fine Art is showcasing a sample of that work.
During the Second World War, Canada's greatest contemporary artists created paintings that became prints, which were then sent to army bases overseas.
Thirty painters, including Emily Carr, Joseph Hallam, Albert Robinson, Fritz Brandtner, A.Y. Jackson and A.J. Casson and fellow Group of Seven artists, agreed to contribute to the war effort. Their 36 paintings depicted familiar Canadian scenes and landscapes from coast to coast.
Winnipeg's Mayberry Fine Art is showcasing a sample of that work, titled "Art for War and Peace - An Exhibition of Sampson-Matthews Silkscreens."
"It was to bring images into the armed forces camps and government offices that were involved in the war effort," gallery owner Bill Mayberry told CTV National News. "The Armed Forces command was somewhat skeptical to the idea, but once some of these were placed in the camps, there was such an overwhelming positive response to them they realized this was a real morale booster."
Group of Seven artist A.Y. Jackson, a Canadian official war artist in the First World War, was a main force behind the art project. Mayberry characterized it as Jackson helping move the idea from the canvas to the battleground.
"He saw how dismal the barracks were, how non-Canadian they were," Mayberry said. "Jackson took it upon himself to write to H.O. 'Harry' McCurry at the National Gallery of Canada about this project."
Soon, another member of the Group of Seven was involved: A.J. Casson, who was chief designer at screening company Sampson-Matthews.
