As Europe found itself embroiled in The Great War, thousands of soldiers left their homes and families for the first time to go to battle. Many of those left behind feared that they’d never see their loved ones again, so they did all that they could to preserve the images of their brave men and boys. While photography was more available to the general population than it had ever been before, the idyllic permanence of a painted portrait was appealing. So, many soldiers found themselves sitting for portraits before going to fight. Other portraits were painted as memorials after the loss of a soldier using photographs and loving memories to capture an idealized image of the fallen hero.
This World War I era painting by Vivien Biett Smith comes to Texas from Scotland and had belonged to the same family for generations. The identity of the subject is unknown; however, we can see that he has been lovingly rendered in this beautiful portrait.
He stands proudly in his uniform, his face set in an expression that is both dignified and playful. Little is known about the artist except that other such portraits have been credited to her. This painting is an excellent example of why it’s so important to properly care for works on canvas. At some point in its history, it seems to have been stacked with other framed paintings. The frames have left indentations on the canvas. While the canvas could be re-stretched and repaired, I prefer to leave it as it is. It’s only fitting that he should have some battle scars. He’s earned them.
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