London bedecked – Victory Day 1919

This series of fourteen watercolours 11″ x 7½” were painted in and around Trafalger Square and Marble Arch while London was bedecked with flags in July 1919 to celebrate victory in World War 1.

The paintings of the cenotaph show wreathes not of stone but of laurel with scarlet binding. This is well described in a report printed in the Ashburton Guardian. This was, therefore, the temporary wood and plaster cenotaph constructed for the Victory Day parade (also known as Peace Day) on 19th July 1919.  Later in 1919 the structure was replaced with the present Portland stone construction, which was unveiled on 11 November 1920.  The wreathes on this structure are carved in stone, so this dates the paintings and the occasion.

At this time, the double deck omnibuses were still horse-drawn.

Click on gallery for more detail.



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