In 1917 British painter Clare Atwood (1866-1962) was commissioned to execute a large picture depicting the life of Canadian Expeditionary Force in England. The appropriateness of subject matter for women artists was still a consideration during the 1914-1918 conflict, and women were not commissioned to depict the battlefield. Portraits and scenes of homefront activity were assigned to women artists, and Atwood - who had gained recognition for her interior scenes - was chosen for the commission. A visit to Folkstone in Kent, England was arranged to help Atwood gather ideas for the work. The artist, however, chose the poignant setting of a Y.M.C.A. canteen at one of London's railway station as the subject for the painting
<bdi><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/en:Clare_Atwood" class="extiw" title="w:en:Clare Atwood"><span title="British painter (1866-1962)">Clare Atwood</span></a>
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