Mont St Quentin Accession Number: ART03369

Description

Depicts trenches on Mont St Quentin taken by soldiers of the AIF from German troops, with the town and river in middle distance. The location is near the Hindenburg Line, Western Front.

James F Scott's (1877-1932) official war art is particularly informative, both due to his experiences as a soldier who had seen active service in the First World War, and also because of his physical proximity to key battles. He was selected from the ranks of soldiers in May 1918 to work as an artist with the Australian War Records Section and was able to quickly interpret and record crucial moments in Australian military history. He reportedly produced Mont St. Quentin one hour after the hill was taken by the 2nd Australian Division, and portrayed Bayonvillers three days into the offensive. Enlisting in the 50th Battalion, AIF in May 1916, he served in France and later sustained injuries to his hand and neck in September 1916 at Zonnebeke. Following this, Scott suffered from poor health, and contemporaries believed the illnesses and injuries he incurred during the war contributed to his death. Scott was also an accomplished illustrator before the war, and during the conflict produced numerous black and white illustrations about life in the army. In 1918, he contributed pieces to the short-lived publication about the AIF in Europe, 'The Dinkum Australian'. After his commission ended in 1920, Scott subsisted on a small war pension in London, and struggled to make a living as an artist.

Details

Accession Number
ART03369
Classification
Art
Object Type
Painting
Physical Description
Medium: oil on canvas
Measurement
framed: 67 x 77.8 cm
unframed: 51 cm x 61.4 cm
Medium
oil on canvas
Date Made
26 September 1918
Place Made
Whole/Part
Whole
Item Count
1
Credit Line
Acquired under the official war art scheme 1920
Copyright
Copyright expired - public domain

Conflicts

Places

Events

Tags and Groups

Accession ART03369

More like this

Flowers gathered at Mont St Quentin

Art ART03414 First World War, 1914-1918

A painting of a vase of flowers, which were gathered at Mont St Quentin, France. James F Scott's (1877-1932) official war art is particularly informative, both due to his experiences as a soldier who

Nissen hut, Mont St Quentin

Art ART03413 First World War, 1914-1918

Depicts the interior of a Nissen hut used as officers' quarters by the 1st Division AIF. Beds and personal effects are evident in the background, and improvised heater and flowers in the foreground. J

Mont St Quentin

Art ART03001 First World War, 1914-1918

Watercolour sketch depicting the battlefield at Mont St Quentin. The image has a view of Mont St Quentin with trenches, the ruins of a civilian building and the stubble of trees. Will Longstaff was bo

Taking of Mont St Quentin

Art ART03291 First World War, 1914-1918

Depicts Australian soldiers taking a German trench at Mont St Quentin with two dead German soldiers. In the centre front a soldier is about to throw a grenade into the entrance of the trench. Mont St

Mont St Quentin

Art ART03134 Period 1910-1919

This diptych depcits the landscape of Mont St Quentin, France, with discarded remnants and trenches remaining from the First World War. Louis McCubbin (1890-1952) was an Official War Artist working as

The wall, Mont St Quentin, second section

Art ART11435.002 Period 1910-1919

Depicts the wall at Mont St Quentin. McCubbin was in Mont St Quentin in late August and early September 1918. He was an Official War Artist working as Officer in Charge of Camouflage for 3rd Division

See more similar items →

Record information

Last modified: 26 August 2025 - 5.16 am