Art and Literature | National Army Museum

The Tanjore Durbar, Madras, February 1840

Featured

Indian armies, Indian art

Artworks created by Indian artists for the British soldiers serving on the subcontinent provide a fascinating insight into early Anglo-Indian relations.

Read this story

Explore Art and Literature stories

Women's work?

Discover how women’s contributions to the British Army have helped bring about change over the past 100 years. And see how Army recruiters have adapted their messaging accordingly.

explore this story

Abram Games and the power of the poster

Abram Games was 'Official War Poster Artist' during the Second World War. Always direct, and occasionally controversial, his posters have left a legacy that continues to influence the art of persuasion used by visual designers today.

explore this story

Abram Games poster, 'Your Britain. Fight for It Now', 1942

Abram Games, ABCA and the fight for post-war change

During the Second World War, Abram Games produced a series of posters for the Army Bureau of Current Affairs. These aimed to remind soldiers what they were fighting for, while also offering a glimpse of the post-war society they could aspire to.

explore this story

Lord Strathcona’s Horse on the march, 1918

Beauty in desolation: Munnings and the First World War

In 1918, the artist Alfred Munnings was tasked with recording the wartime contribution of the Canadian Cavalry Brigade and Forestry Corps. His paintings highlight the military role of horses, capturing their beauty in the war-affected landscapes of France.

explore this story

An unidentified officer of Fencible Cavalry, c1800

Paintings in little

Recent research on the museum's collection of portrait miniatures has revealed new information about artists and untold stories about some of the subjects they portrayed.

explore this story

The earliest European view of Niagara

Thomas Davies' watercolour, ‘An East View of the Great Cataract of Niagara’ (1762), documents the struggle for control of North America and illuminates the history of British exploration and science.

explore this story

Painting in the line of fire

Painting on campaign presents war artists with a number of issues; not least that they are non-combatants in some of the most dangerous environments in the world.

explore this story

Drawn on the spot: War artists and the illustrated press

In Victorian Britain, it was the news of war rather than the antics of minor entertainment celebrities that boosted sales of newspapers.

explore this story

Indian armies, Indian art

Artworks created by Indian artists for the British soldiers serving on the subcontinent provide a fascinating insight into early Anglo-Indian relations.

explore this story

The Wipers Times: The soldiers' paper

'The Wipers Times' was full of dark humour and one of the finest trench publications from the First World War.

explore this story

Restoring Isandlwana

'The Battle of Isandlwana' is one of our most popular artworks. But before going on display again, the iconic painting needed some TLC: tender loving conservation!

explore this story

Explore Art and Literature events

The art of persuasion: Wartime posters by Abram Games

Exhibition

6 April 2019 - 24 November 2019

£6.00

The art of persuasion: Wartime posters by Abram Games

This major exhibition explores the life and legacy of the iconic designer Abram Games, focusing on his time as ‘Official War Poster Artist’ during the Second World War.

find out more