Gouache and watercolour on paper
Tate Collection
Works with images
General Collection
Wake
Collection
<a href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/edward-burra-837" aria-label="More by Edward Burra" data-gtm-name="header_link_artist" data-gtm-destination="page--artist">Edward Burra</a>
Purchased 1940
actions: expressive
actions: postures and motions
adults
architecture
building - non-specific
cloak
clothing and personal items
colonnade
crouching
decay
desolation
emotions, concepts and ideas
features
figure
gesticulating
grave
group
groups
history
hood
menace
military: World War II
objects
people
townscapes / man-made features
universal concepts
World War II - non-specific
<p>With the increasingly belligerent political situation of the 1930s, Burra's work took on a darker tone. This enigmatic diptych seems to speak of morbidity and decay. The shrouded figures look down on a skeleton in an open grave. In the background broken columns indicate the degradation of the building. The architecture recalls the destroyed churches that Burra photographed in Spain in 1935 and 1936. The Spanish Civil War had been especially cruel, but by the time this picture was made war had spread across Europe. Goya's 'Dark Paintings' may have been a source for such works.</p><p><em>Gallery label, September 2004</em></p>
paper unique gouache watercolour
23 July 2001 – 28 July 2002
2002-07-28
23 July 2001 – 28 July 2002
2002-07-28
2001-07-23
Tate Britain (London, UK)
http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/
2001-07-23
Edward Burra
Collection based display
1 October 2002 – 17 June 2003
2003-06-17
28 September 2002 – 17 June 2003
2003-06-17
2002-09-28
Tate Liverpool (Liverpool, UK)
http://www.tate.org.uk/liverpool/
2002-10-01
TL 2002/2003: Edward Burra Focus Room
Collection based display
16 February 2011 – 21 August 2011
2011-08-21
16 February 2011 – 21 August 2011
2011-08-21
2011-02-16
Tate Britain (London, UK)
http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/
2011-02-16
Watercolour
Exhibition
[title not known]
support: 1022 × 698 mm
frame: 1120 × 792 × 36 mm
Purchased 1940
<p>With the increasingly belligerent political situation of the 1930s, Burra's work took on a darker tone. This enigmatic <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/d/diptych" title="Glossary definition for 'Diptych'"><span>diptych</span></a> seems to speak of morbidity and decay. The shrouded figures look down on  a skeleton in an open grave. In the background broken columns indicate the degradation of the building. The architecture recalls the destroyed churches that Burra photographed in Spain in  1935 and 1936. The Spanish Civil War had been especially cruel, but by the time this picture  was made war had spread across Europe.  Goya's 'Dark <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/p/painting" title="Glossary definition for 'Painting'"><span>Paintings</span></a>' may have been a source  for such works. </p>
Display caption
2004-09-09T00:00:00
display-caption
DISPLAY_CAPTION
<p><b>Edward Burra</b>
1905-76
<br/>
<br/><b>Wake</b>
1940
<br/>
<br/><a class="acno-pop" data-gtm-destination="page--artwork" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/burra-title-not-known-n05166" title="View the details of this artwork"><span>N05166</span></a>
<br/>
<br/>Gouache and wash on paper 1022 x 698 (40 1/4 x 27 1/2)
<br/>
<br/>Right-hand panel of a two-sheet composition (see <i>Wake</i> <a class="acno-pop" data-gtm-destination="page--artwork" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/burra-title-not-known-n05165" title="View the details of this artwork"><span>N05165</span></a>), signed in faded black ink ‘E.J. Burra | 1940’ bottom right, and inscribed in pencil ‘Sinclair | Attlee’; watermarked along left side: ‘MADE IN ENGLAND UNBLEACHED ARNOLD LINEN FIBRE 1921’
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<br/>Purchased from the artist through the Zwemmer Gallery, London (Knapping Fund) 1940
<br/>
<br/>Exhibited:
<br/><i>Surrealism Today</i>, Zwemmer Gallery, London, June-July 1940 (11,12, as <i>Wake I</i> and <i>Wake II</i>)
<br/><i>Tate Gallery Wartime Acquisitions</i>, National Gallery, London, April-May 1942 (19,20 as <i>Wake I</i> and <i>Wake II</i>)
<br/>Long term loan to Leeds City Art Gallery 1970-May 1973 (left panel, <span>N05165</span>, only)
<br/>Long term loan to Southend Art Gallery 1970-May 1973 (right panel, <span>N05166</span>, only)
<br/><i>Henry Moore to Gilbert and George</i>, Palais des beaux-arts, Brussels, September-November 1973 (8, reproduced p.22)
<br/><i>Edward Burra</i>, Tate Gallery, London May-July 1973 (62)
<br/>Long term loan to Arts Council, placed at Leeds City Art Gallery, February 1974-September 1976
<br/><i>La Planète affolée: Surréalisme, dispersion et influences, 1938-1947</i>, Centre de la Vieille Charité, Marseille, April-June 1986 (50, reproduced p.172)
<br/><i>World War II</i>, Tate Gallery Liverpool, September-November 1989 (16)
<br/>
<br/>Literature:
<br/>Mary Chamot, Dennis Farr and Martin Butlin, <i>Tate Gallery: The Modern British Paintings, Drawings and Sculpture</i>, I, London 1964, pp.84-6
<br/>John Rothestein, ‘Edward Burra as an Artist’ in William Chappell (ed.), <i>Edward Burra: A Painter Remembered by his Friends</i>, London 1982, p.44
<br/>‘Letters’, William Chappell (ed.), <i>Edward Burra: A Painter Remembered by his Friends</i>, 1982, p.100
<br/>Andrew Causey, <i>Edward Burra: Complete Catalogue</i>, Oxford 1985, reproduced [p.128], no.156 as ‘1939’
<br/><i>Art Line</i>, vol.2, no.9, September 1985 p.22, reproduced (left sheet only)
<br/>
<br/>Reproduced: 
<br/>John Rothenstein, <i>Edward Burra</i>, Harmondsworth, 1945, reproduced [p.44] pl.28, as ‘The Wakes 1937’
<br/>Grey Gowrie, ‘The Twentieth Century’ in David Piper (ed.), <i>The Genius of British Painting</i>, London 1975, p.311 (left sheet only)
<br/>
<br/>Note: 
<br/><i>Wake</i> (<span>N05166</span>) is the right-hand panel of a diptych. The catalogue entry for the left-hand panel, <i>Wake</i> (Tate <span>N05165</span>), discusses both works.</p>

Catalogue entry
2004-06-07T00:00:00
catalogue-entry
CATALOGUE_ENTRY
actions: expressive actions: postures and motions adults architecture building - non-specific cloak clothing and personal items colonnade crouching decay desolation emotions, concepts and ideas features figure gesticulating grave group groups history hood menace military: World War II objects people townscapes / man-made features universal concepts World War II - non-specific