Henry Lamb, 1883-1960

Pay at the Canadian Arms Division

Oil on canvas, 1942

Henry Lamb studied medicine before training as an artist. He developed a distinctive Expressionist style of portraiture influenced by Post-Impressionism with its harmonious blocks of colour. He served in Palestine and on the Western Front in the First World War, and was awarded the Military Cross. When he was invited to paint a memorial for the National Hall of Remembrance, Lamb drew on his wartime experiences for Irish Troops in the Judaen Hills surprised by a Turkish Bombardment. During the Second World War he was appointed a full-time war artist by the War Artist Advisory Committee. He was placed with the Twelfth Canadian Army Tank Battalion who were training in England. Lamb painted highly individualistic portraits of soldiers of all ranks, men and women. He portrayed the soldiers training, at work and the rare occasions of rest.

Gift from the Imperial War Museum, 1947