Chalk and crayon on paper
Tate Collection
Works with images
General Collection
Collection
<a href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/eric-kennington-1399" aria-label="More by Eric Kennington" data-gtm-name="header_link_artist" data-gtm-destination="page--artist">Eric Kennington</a>
Bayonet Practice
Presented by Sir William Rothenstein in memory of Gerard Chowne 1917
actions: expressive
adults
bag
bayonet
clothing and personal items
fighting
glove
gun, rifle
history
man
mask
military
military: World War I
objects
people
soldier
uniform / kit
weapons
work and occupations
World War I - non-specific
<p>Kennington served in France and was invalided out of the army in June 1915. He was an official war artist from 1916-19.</p><p>This drawing is a study for a lithograph. It was one in a series called Making Soldiers which the Ministry of Information published as part of the war effort in 1917. In practice soldiers charged at straw bags representing enemy soldiers. The act of bayoneting an enemy might perhaps be compared with that of the soldier who pierced Christ’s side when he was on the cross.</p><p><em>Gallery label, December 2004</em></p>
paper unique chalk crayon
6 December 2004 – 15 August 2005
2005-08-15
Tate Britain (London, UK)
http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/
2004-12-06
Blake and Jerusalem
Collection based display
Bayonet Practice
support: 749 × 651 mm
Presented by Sir William Rothenstein in memory of Gerard Chowne 1917
<div class="pbodytext">
<span class="text7">Kennington served in France and </span><span class="text14">was invalided out of the army in June 1915.</span><span class="text7"> He was an official war artist from 1916-19. </span>
</div>
<div class="para9">
<span class="text7">
<br/> </span>
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<div class="pbodytext">
<span class="text7">This drawing is a study for a lithograph.  </span><span class="text15">It was one in a series called </span><span class="text18">Making      Soldiers</span><span class="text19"> </span><span class="text16">which the      Ministry of Information published</span><span class="text7"> as part of the      war effort in 1917. In practice </span><span class="text15">soldiers      charged at straw bags representing</span><span class="text7"> enemy      soldiers. The act of bayoneting an enemy might perhaps be compared with </span><span class="text17">that of the soldier who pierced Christ’s side</span><span class="text7"> when he was on the cross. </span>
</div>

Display caption
2004-12-21T00:00:00
display-caption
DISPLAY_CAPTION
<p><b>N03205</b> BAYONET PRACTICE 1917
<br/> 
<br/>Inscr. ‘E. Kennington 17’ b.l.
<br/>Charcoal on brown paper, 29 1/2×25 5/8 (75×65).
<br/>Presented by Sir William Rothenstein 1917.
<br/><i>Coll:</i>
Given by the artist to Sir William Rothenstein.</p>
<p>Study for a <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/l/lithography" title="Glossary definition for 'Lithography'"><span>lithograph</span></a>, No.13 in the series ‘Making Soldiers’ in <i>The Great War, Britain's Efforts and Ideals</i>, published by the Ministry of Information 1917 and exhibited at the Fine Art Society. The lithograph shows a camp with straw bags in the distance.</p>
<p>Sir William Rothenstein in <i>Men and Memories 1900–1922</i>, 1932, p. 308, mentions how he first saw Kennington's work at the Goupil Gallery in April–May 1916 when ‘The Kensingtons at Laventie’ was exhibited, and bought a <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>drawing</span></a>. Later he joined Kennington in France as 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>.</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, I
<br/></p>

Catalogue entry
2004-10-05T00:00:00
catalogue-entry
CATALOGUE_ENTRY
actions: expressive adults bag bayonet clothing and personal items fighting glove gun, rifle history man mask military military: World War I objects people soldier uniform / kit weapons work and occupations World War I - non-specific