Australian Army Museum of Western Australia > Records

World War 1, Australia, Gallipoli, Suvla Bay to Gabba Tepe, MOORE-JONES, 1915

« Prev Item Next Item »

Overview

A colour print of a panoramic, watercolour painting depicting the Coast of ANZAC, Gallipoli. Set behind glass in a narrow, wooden frame. The original painting was made by Sapper H Moore-Jones, a member of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force and official War Artist. This is Plate 1, "Complete Index to the First Series of Sketches Made at Anzac".

Historical information

At the outbreak of war in 1914, Horace Moore-Jones was living in Britain. He was 42 years old, but gave his age as 32 so he could enlist in the New Zealand Expeditionary Force (NZEF). Moore-Jones was sent to Gallipoli to make drawings of the area because there were no useful maps. Towards the end of 1915 his drawing hand was injured, but while recovering in England he somehow managed to produce nearly 80 watercolours of Gallipoli.
While Moore-Jones' paintings provide a topographically correct impression of the Gallipoli landscape, they present a peculiarly sterilized version of the campaign. There are only a few small indications that these sun-drenched vistas were actually vicious battlefields. Instead, Moore-Jones has deliberately focused his compositions on the imposing and inhospitable physicality of the terrain, which proved such a menacing obstacle for the Anzacs. The figures of the soldiers are completely dwarfed by these sharp cliffs and deep valleys, and the Ottoman soldiers – particularly their lethal snipers – are totally hidden from view, as they were in reality.

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-32-453-011

Inscriptions and markings

Published by Hugh Rees, London in 1916, this image was part of set of 10 lithographs, in the original folder with accompanying descriptive booklet with forward by General Sir Ian Hamilton and Lt General Sir Alexander Godley. These works are in totally original condition and have never been framed. 1. The Coast Of ANZAC 2. ANZAC Cove 3. The Coast North of ANZAC Cove 4. The Historic Positions 5. Turk Entrenched Positions 6. The Australian Positions. Extreme Right 7. Outposts 8. Looking North Over Shrapnel Gully 9. The Sphinx 10. The Terrible Country Towards Suvla

Contextual Information

This print is displayed in the Association Meeting Roome (formerly Officers' Mess). The style of Moore-Jones' depictions of Gallipoli is the other end of the spectrum from those of Ellis Silas..

Links to additional resources

AWM Biography

Modern copies of the series

Australian Army Museum of Western Australia

Organisation Details
View Collection
Item Feedback