William Orpen

"William Orpen was the only official war artist to publish an extensive memoir of his experiences in the Great War. This ... narrative was first published in 1921 and is a classic of war literature. In this fully revised edition, Orpen's war paintings and drawings have been reproduced in colour and keyed to the narrative, resulting in a perceptive and moving account by an artist who moved easily between all levels of the military, from generals to Tommies, and was a close friend of many journalists and influential civilians. But despite his high-level connections, Orpen's emotional sympathies were with the common soldier, whose post-war neglect embittered his view of the political classes. He witnessed not only the battlefields but also what he felt to be the greed and self-interest of the national delegates at the Peace Conference in Versaiiles in 1919. His text contains ... comments on the personalities of his sitters. ..."--Jacket.