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Reproduction - "Sister VA Torney, MBE" by Henry Aloysius Hanke
Overview
Framed A2 size copy, printed on canvas of original painting in the collection of the Australian War Memorial titled "Sister VA Torney, MBE" by Henry Aloysius Hanke, Archibald Prize Entry 1943
Historical information
Hanke was one of 7 #officialwarartists who entered portraits of service personnel in the 1943 Archibald Prize. Others included Nora Heysen, Ivor Hele, Harold Abbott, William Dargie, Douglas Watson, Charles Bush and William Dobell. Entries were encouraged that year by Colonel Treloar, Head of the Military History Section, with a view to increasing awareness of the official war art program.
Details
Details
Registration number
cwa-org-32-54-246
Inscriptions and markings
During World War II and the 1942 evacuation of Singapore, nurses Margaret Irene Anderson and Vera Alexandra Torney were on board the MV Empire Star and shielded wounded men with their own bodies as the ship came under attack. For this bravery, Anderson was awarded the George Medal (GM) and Torney was made a Member of the British Empire (MBE). Henry Hanke exhibited a portrait of each woman in the 1943 Archibald Prize; both works are now in the collection of the Australian War Memorial, Canberra.
Contextual Information
This work formed part of the "Wartime Archies" exhibition presented by the Australian Army Museum of Western Australia for the National Trust Heritage Festival 18 April to 18 May 2024.The portrait is currently located in the Orientation/Entrance Gallery
