Censorship of art in World War One Paths of Glory Censorship of art in World War One

'Paths of Glory', 1917 by CRW Nevinson (1878-1958), Imperial War Museum, 61cm x 46cm, oil on canvas ©

This painting was part of a series of 75 paintings, drawings and prints that Nevinson completed after his return from France and Belgium where he had been sent by the British government as an official war artist on July 5, 1917.

Because Nevinson was so bold as to paint the bodies of two Tommies in front of the barbed wire, this painting was banned from an exhibition in 1918. Nevinson refused to take it down and covered it with brown paper on which he wrote "Censored". This gesture earned him a reprimand from the War Office, for it was forbidden either to show reality or to denounce censorship.

Why was the censor so keen to prevent this particular image being seen? Is it worse than others you have seen? How have the dead soldiers been portrayed?

Why censor this painting? The explanation given by the government at the time was that the image of dead British soldiers would undermine the public morale at a time during the war when morale was already at an all time low. However, the numerous other exhibitions around London at that time portraying dead soldiers, both Allied and enemy soldiers, is inconsistent with that reasoning. There were also a number of war photographers, whose images were equally if not more graphic, showing frequently in London as well.

What significant detail has the artist included? The soldiers are painted face down as if they were anonymous

How have the soldiers been portrayed? The soldiers have been left unattended, presumably behind the Allied lines. Their bloated and putrefying bodies appearing to float at the side of the road. Have they been forgotten? Or, are there too many others and too few resources to deal with them? Does no one care anymore about burying them? There are no clues to the actual battle, but does this even matter?

A mood of death is heightened through use of eerie, unnatural light recessive line implying an untold number of dead beyond the limits of the canvas The small stone against the background of sky is transected by a skeletal web of posts and barbed wire, 'Paths of Glory', 1917 by CRW Nevinson (1878-1958), Imperial War Museum, 61cm x 46cm, oil on canvas ©

Why do you think Nevinson used the title, Paths to Glory? The title is a quote from ‘Elegy Written in a Country Church-Yard’ by Thomas Gray. The ninth stanza contains the line, "The paths of glory lead but to the grave." This poem was apparently a common source of support for the war-ridden public during this low point. The so-called ‘Paths of Glory’ have led these soldiers to death in a wasteland, imprisoned by barbed wire.

Want to know more about Nevinson? Working as a volunteer ambulance driver on the western front from 1914-15, Nevinson's work focused upon the visual realities of war. In the following years he became an official wartime artist for the British government. He was often sent off to the front lines, and upon return would produce pictures from his experiences which the government then had the option of buying from him for use in propaganda material, or leaving the images as property of the artist.

The government bought this one, but left it in Nevinson’s possession. He then exhibited it, as we know, with a censored label covering it diagonally.

Credits With thanks to the Imperial War Museum for granting permission to use the Nevinson painting.