Pastel, graphite and watercolour on paper
Tate Collection
Works with images
General Collection
Collection
<a href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/paul-nash-1690" aria-label="More by Paul Nash" data-gtm-name="header_link_artist" data-gtm-destination="page--artist">Paul Nash</a>
Messerschmitt in Windsor Great Park
Presented by the War Artists Advisory Committee 1946
air crash
aircraft, military
Berkshire
Britain, Battle, Summer 1940
crane
England
England, South East
England, Southern
field
history
landscape
military: World War II
natural phenomena
objects
places
shadow
society
tools and machinery
transport: air
UK cities, towns and villages
UK counties
UK countries and regions
Windsor, Windsor Great Park
wooded
<p>In 1940 Nash was made an Official War Artist to the Royal Air Force. He made many studies of planes and wrecked enemy aircraft, although he was not allowed to fly in a plane himself because of health problems. His drawings and paintings of the period are vivid re-interpretations of the scenes he witnessed. He was particularly interested in the bizarre relationships between man-made and natural forms, and making static objects appear animated. Here the crashed German plane takes on a totem-like presence, accentuated by the strange shadows.</p><p><em>Gallery label, September 2004</em></p>
paper unique pastel graphite watercolour
23 July 2003 – 19 October 2003
2003-10-19
Tate Liverpool (Liverpool, UK)
http://www.tate.org.uk/liverpool/
2003-07-23
Paul Nash: Modern Artist, Ancient Landscape
Exhibition
15 June 2005 – 4 September 2005
2005-09-04
15 June 2005 – 4 September 2005
2005-09-04
2005-06-15
Tate Britain (London, UK)
http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/
2005-06-15
A Picture of Britain
Exhibition
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
24 October 2016 – 31 January 2018
2018-01-31
24 October 2016 – 5 March 2017
2017-03-05
2016-10-24
Tate Britain (London, UK)
http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/
7 April 2017 – 20 August 2017
2017-08-20
2017-04-07
Sainsbury Centre for the Visual Arts (Norwich, UK)
9 September 2017 – 31 January 2018
2018-01-31
2017-09-09
Laing Art Gallery (Newcastle upon Tyne, UK)
http://www.twmuseums.org.uk/
2016-10-24
Paul Nash
Loan-out
26 October 2016 – 14 January 2018
2018-01-14
26 October 2016 – 5 March 2017
2017-03-05
2016-10-26
Tate Britain (London, UK)
http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/
7 April 2017 – 20 August 2017
2017-08-20
2017-04-07
Sainsbury Centre for the Visual Arts (Norwich, UK)
9 September 2017 – 14 January 2018
2018-01-14
2017-09-09
Laing Art Gallery (Newcastle upon Tyne, UK)
http://www.twmuseums.org.uk/
2016-10-26
Paul Nash
Exhibition
The Messerschmitt in Windsor Great Park
support: 400 × 578 mm
Presented by the War Artists Advisory Committee 1946
<p>In 1940 Nash was made an Official <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/w/war-artists" title="Glossary definition for 'War Artists'"><span>War Artist</span></a> to  the Royal Air Force. He made many studies of  planes and wrecked enemy aircraft, although he was  not allowed to fly in a plane himself because of health problems. His <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/drawing" title="Glossary definition for 'Drawing'"><span>drawings</span></a> and <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> of the  period are vivid re-interpretations of the scenes  he witnessed. He was particularly interested in  the bizarre relationships between man-made and  natural forms, and making static objects appear  animated. Here the crashed German plane takes on a  totem-like presence, accentuated by the strange  shadows.</p>
Display caption
2004-09-08T00:00:00
display-caption
DISPLAY_CAPTION
<p><b>N05716</b> THE MESSERSCHMIDT IN WINDSOR GREAT PARK 1940</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Not inscribed.
<br/>Pencil, chalks and watercolour, 15 3/4×22 3/4 (40×58).
<br/>Presented by the War Artists' Advisory Committee 1946.
<br/><i>Exh:</i> <i>National War Pictures</i>, National Gallery, 1945, and R.A., October–November 1945 (175); British Council, <i>Nine Artists</i>, Prague, 1946 (37).
<br/><i>Lit:</i> Bertram, 1955, pp.271–2.</p>
<p>Painted for the Air Ministry late in 1940 and delivered in January 1941 as one of a set of five <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/w/watercolour" title="Glossary definition for 'Watercolour'"><span>watercolours</span></a> called ‘Marching against Britain’.</p>
<p><b>Published in:</b>
<br/>Mary Chamot, Dennis Farr and Martin Butlin, <i>The Modern British Paintings, Drawings and Sculpture</i>, London 1964, II
<br/></p>

Catalogue entry
2004-10-08T00:00:00
catalogue-entry
CATALOGUE_ENTRY
aircraft, military air crash Berkshire Britain, Battle, Summer 1940 crane England England, South East England, Southern field history landscape military: World War II natural phenomena objects places shadow society tools and machinery transport: air UK cities, towns and villages UK counties UK countries and regions Windsor, Windsor Great Park wooded