Drawn on the Western Front: Members’ Preview

Enjoy an exclusive preview of the upcoming exhibition 'Drawn on the Western Front: Paul Sarrut and the Indian Army' with lead curator Anna Lavelle.

Paul Sarrut was a French soldier who was posted to the British Army as a military liaison officer and interpreter during the First World War. Trained as an artist, Sarrut created an important visual record of the soldiers of the 3rd (Lahore) Division while they were serving in France.

Bringing together 58 original drawings, many displayed publicly for the first time in over 100 years, this is the first UK exhibition ever dedicated to Paul Sarrut.

Alongside his vivid sketches are more than 100 objects, including uniforms, photographs, lithographs, medals and archival material. Highlights include the Victoria Cross awarded to Sepoy Khudadad Khan, the first soldier from the Indian subcontinent to receive the award.

The exhibition also features interactive displays, including extracts from the diary of Jemadar Kirpal Singh of the 34th Sikh Pioneers, read in Punjabi by his grandson, Dr Gurpreet Singh.

Generously supported by Lord Ashcroft KCMG PC

About the guide

Anna Lavelle is an art curator at the National Army Museum and principal curator of the Museum’s works on paper. Her research focuses on print culture, visual dissemination and the representation of military identity.