issue 10, April 2013

Transcription

ISSUE 10 APRIL 2013
14
Re-opening
of the
Rijksmuseum
MAGAZINE
06
ICOMAM Conference
Oman
10
United Nations
Arms Trade Treaty
25
The Irish and France
Dublin
ICOMAM – the International Committee of Museums of
Arms and Military History - is an International Committee of
ICOM – the International Council of Museums.
It provides a forum for museums worldwide:
• To encourage scientific research about arms and
armour and military collections, both in specialised and
general museums and in military collections.
• To stimulate a proper, professional standard of collection
care, management, conservation and use in line with
internationally recognised good practice and ICOM
guidelines.
• To promote the highest standards in display and
interpretation.
• To encourage networking and partnerships between
museums and research the world over.
ICOMAM achieves its goal by holding triennial
congresses and intermediate symposia on relevant topics.
ICOMAM has over 260 members, representing museums
in more than 50 countries world-wide, including such
famous institutions as the Royal Armouries of Leeds, the
French Musée de l'Armée, the Metropolitan Museum of Art,
The Musée de l'Armée et d'Histoire Militaire in Brussels, the
Hofjagd- und Rüstkammer of Vienna, the Real Armeria of
Madrid, the Topkapi Sarayi Museum in Istanbul.
Membership has increased over the past ten years including
a larger share of museums outside of Europe and America.
Also some so-called Battlefield Museums are members of
this international contact group.
ICOMAM is directed by an International ruling body
called the Executive Board. The ICOMAM approach to the
conservation and study of relevant artefacts is scientific,
dispassionate, objective and humanistic. It aims to assess
the importance of weaponry in world history as a major
sociological phenomenon touching on all the aspects of
politics, economics and social behaviour including its
artistic spin-offs and its relationship with our cultural
heritage and its interpretation in the world today.
http://www.klm-mra.be/icomam/
© Individual authors, Institutions
and ICOMAM, 2013
Published by
in association with ICOMAM
Hawthorne Cottage
Moorfield Road
LEEDS
LS12 3SE
UK
smithbrown@basiliscoe.fsnet.co.uk
Design by Dazeye
ICOM is the international organisation of museums and
museum professionals which is committed to the
conservation, continuation and communication to society of
the world's natural and cultural heritage, present and
future, tangible and intangible.
http://icom.museum/
06
Welcome
Welcome
We hope you enjoy this edition of
ICOMAM’s Magazine which is full
of news, events and articles. Don’t
forget about our upcoming
conference in Rio de Janeiro –
details can be found on our
website at
http://icomam.icom.museum.
26
35
Contents
News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 04
Exhibitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
04 Foreword ICOMAM Chairman
23 National Army Museum
05 ICOMAM News
25 The Irish and France, Dublin
06 Conference Oman 2013
10 Arms Trade Treaty at United
Nations
Robert Douglas Smith
Ruth Rhynas Brown
14 Re-opening of the Rijksmuseum
EDITORS
18 “Défi à l’oubli” - Luxembourg
20 Lest we forget - Luxembourg
21 Stuart W. Pyhrr Metropolitan
Museum of Art
Articles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
26 KOISO Ryohei and other Japanese
painters’ war record pictures in the
Netherlands East Indies
32 An Anglo-Portuguese souvenir
35 Gunpowder making in Malta
ISSUE 10 MAGAZINE 3
News
ICOMAM NEWS
Chers membres et
sympathisants de l’ICOMAM,
C
omme vous pourrez le lire plus en détail plus loin dans
ce nouveau numéro de notre Magazine, nous pouvons
enfin annoncer une avancée positive en ce qui concerne le
nouveau traité sur le commerce des armes (Arms Trade
Treaty ATT). Les conséquences du traité pour le monde
muséal ont été fixées. En mars dernier, des négociations
internationales ont eu lieu dans les bâtiments des Nations
Unies à New York pendant une dizaine de jours. Les
négociations avaient été interrompues de façon assez
malheureuse dans le courant de l’été 2012. Ce qui était
alors proposé nous paraissait tout à fait insuffisant. Il était
fort possible que le transfert international d’armes
historiques (p.e. dans le cadre d’une exposition, de
reconstitutions, d’achats, d’échanges scientifiques) soit
soumis à de très sévères obligations administratives et de
lourdes charges financières. Nous pouvons à présent dire
que l’ICOMAM a exercé un important lobbying international
qui a porté ses fruits. Nemo, l’organisation des musées
européens, avait été alarmée et son petit article d’octobre
2012 a été entendu. Les associations muséales nationales,
la British Museum Association en tête, ont réussi à attirer
l’attention de différents représentants diplomatiques sur
l’importance d’un accord réfléchi, permettant le libre trafic
d’armes muséales et patrimoniales. Nous avons également
réussi à convaincre le directeur général et le président de
l’ICOM de se mêler au débat, car un mauvais accord ne
toucherait pas uniquement les musées « d’armes », mais
aussi les musées possédant des collections d’armes
comme le MET, le Rijksmuseum, etc. Nous avons
également contacté l’UNESCO pour sensibiliser cette
organisation à notre point de vue. Lors de la réunion de
notre Comité en février dernier (réunion qui avait pour but
4 MAGAZINE ISSUE 10
de préciser notre point de vue par rapport à l’ATT), nous
avions invité M Fabio della Piazza, Chair of Council Working
Group on Conventional Arms Export (COARM) - European
External Action Service et co-négociateur pour l’UE. Grâce à
son intervention claire et précise, nous avons pu nous
former une meilleure idée des moyens de pression à notre
disposition et des règles du jeu diplomatiques en vigueur
lors d’un tel traité international. Nous avons envoyé un
courrier au nouveau président de la commission de
négociations de l’ATT, l’ambassadeur Peter Woolcott
(siégeant à Genève) pour le convaincre de l’importance
internationale du patrimoine armurier dans les collections
muséales. Nous lui proposions quelques pistes de
réflexions visant à améliorer le texte existant. En outre,
Kenneth Smith-Christmas, membre du Comité exécutif, et
Tom Mason, un juriste américain qui avait obtenu que nous
puissions nous faire entendre en tant qu’ONG et expert en
matière de lois sur l’armement, avaient, en étroite
collaboration avec quelques membres du comité exécutif de
l’ICOMAM, rédigé une motion motivée en soutien à notre
cause. Cette motion fut présentée par Kenneth SmithChristmas lors de la session de la commission en mars
dernier à New York et diffusée auprès de centaines de
participants. En plus, lui et Tom Mason ont pu établir de
contacts nécessaires dans la marge de la réunion. Le
résultat de cet énorme travail de lobby : les armes reprises
dans les collections reconnues par les autorités (les
collections privées ne sont donc pas concernées) font l’objet
d’une réglementation beaucoup moins sévère. Nous avons
même obtenu plus que ce que nous visions, car la
réglementation ne vaut pas uniquement pour les armes
dites historiques (d’avant 1899), mais pour toutes les armes
conventionnelles en milieu muséal. Il s’agit donc d’une
victoire pour l’entièreté du secteur muséal. Le résultat
obtenu indique aussi l’importance de notre association qui a
réussi à exercer une pression internationale et à être le
porte-voix de tout un secteur, ce que chaque musée
individuel n’aurait jamais réussi à faire. À tous et en premier
lieu à Kenneth Smith-Christmas, Guy Wilson, David Penn,
Janice Murray et Tom Mason : nos remerciements les plus
sincères. Vous trouverez de plus amples informations à ce
sujet plus loin dans ce numéro.
Je voudrais terminer en lançant un nouvel appel pour
votre participation active à notre prochain congrès à Rio de
Janeiro en août prochain. Les inscriptions se font attendre
et nous ne pouvons pas encore parler de succès. Notre
programme (voir notre site Internet) et le thème laissent
pourtant entrevoir de nombreux débats intéressants. Des
News
communications sur des projets de recherche sont
également les bienvenues. Le programme des visites,
excursions et activités, concocté par Armando Senna de
Bittencourt et Adriana de Matos Peixoto, est plus que
prometteur. Vu que ce congrès se déroule en même temps
que le congrès tri-annuel de l’ICOM, il y aura certainement
moyen d’établir de nombreux contacts avec d’autres
comités internationaux et de se rendre compte de ce qui
occupe les autres collègues du secteur muséal. Une telle
confrontation peut être très bénéfique. Ne remettez donc
pas à demain ce que vous pouvez faire aujourd’hui et
enregistrez-vous via http://www.icomrio2013.org.br ou via
notre site Internet http://icomam.icom.museum .
Je me réjouis de vous rencontrer dans la magnifique et
impressionnante ville de Rio de Janeiro.
Piet De Gryse
président
Dear ICOMAM members and
enthusiasts,
A
s you will be able to read further down in this new issue
of our Magazine, we finally have a positive breakthrough
for museums in the new Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). Last
March, international negotiations about the ATT were held at
the UN in New York for some ten days. Discussions had
been quite unhappily interrupted in the summer of 2012.
The proposals formulated at that time struck us as largely
inadequate. It was indeed very possible that the
international transfer of historic weapons (e.g. for
exhibitions, re-enactment, acquisition or scientific
exchange) would be submitted to very strict administrative
rules and regulations and heavy financial pressure. We can
now say that ICOMAM, through careful lobbying, has
achieved a notable success. Nemo, the organisation of
European museums, was informed and its short article
published in October 2012 elicited a lot of reactions.
National museum associations (especially the British
Museums Association) managed to sensitize the various
diplomatic representatives about the importance of a
comprehensive agreement that would allow for free arms
transfers in the framework of museum collections and
heritage programs. We were also able to convince the
Director General and the President of ICOM to join in the
debate because the repercussions of a poor agreement
would not only be detrimental to weapons museums but
would also affect other museums and collections, such as
the Metropolitan or the Rijksmuseum. We also contacted
UNESCO in order to convince them of the weight of our
argument. At our Board meeting last February (especially
called to clarify and fine-tune our point of view concerning
ATT) we invited Mr Fabio della Piazza, Chair of Council
Working Group on Conventional Arms Export (COARM) European External Action Service and co-negotiator for the
EU. His clear exposé informed us more thoroughly on the
means we still could use to make ourselves heard, as well
as on the diplomatic ‘rules of engagement’ applied during
the formulation of international treaties such as this one.
We again contacted the new president of the ATT
commission, ambassador Peter Woolcott (posted in Geneva),
stressing the international importance of armament
heritage in museum collections. We drew his attention to a
number of issues that would optimize the existing text.
Simultaneously, Kenneth Smith-Christmas, member of the
Executive Board, and Tom Mason, an American lawyer and
our POC at the UN, who managed to get us in the picture
and an expert on weapons legislation, wrote, in close
collaboration with a number of ICOMAM board members, a
motion in support of our quest. Kenneth Smith-Christmas
presented this motion at the hearing of the commission in
New York in March and distributed it to hundreds of
participants. Together with Tom Mason, ‘back stage’
diplomacy was carried out. The final result of this lobbying
was that weapons safeguarded in collections recognized by
the authorities (private collections are therefore not
concerned) benefit from some kind of leeway. Taking
everything into account, we actiually obtained more than we
asked for, as the regulations are not only valid for so-called
historic weapons (prior to 1899) but also comprise all
conventional weapons in museums. This clearly is a victory
for the entire museum world. This also stresses the
importance of our association who managed to make itself
heard on the international scene and on behalf of the entire
museum community. Individually, museums would never
have been able to reach the goal. To all, but especially to
Kenneth Smith-Christmas, Guy Wilson, David Penn, Janice
Murray and Tom Mason, we extend our most heartfelt
thanks. You will find more information on this subject
further down in this issue.
As a conclusion I would like to once again call on you all
to actively participate in our upcoming conference in Rio de
Janeiro in August. The subscriptions are not yet numerous
and we cannot speak about success right now. However, the
program (see our website) and our themes promise exciting
debates. Presentations on current research project are also
welcome. The scheduled visits, excursions and activities,
planned by Armando Senna de Bittencourt and Adriana de
Matos Peixoto, are very appealing. As this congress
coincides with the tri-annual ICOM conference there will
undoubtedly be plenty of opportunities to network with other
international committees and get in touch with whatever
preoccupies our colleagues from other museums. Such a
confrontation can be very inspiring.
Do not postpone your registration and register through
http://www.icomrio2013.org.br or through our website
http://icomam.icom.museum .
I look forward to meeting you in wonderful and exciting
Rio de Janeiro.
Piet De Gryse
Chairman
ISSUE 10 MAGAZINE 5
News
The opening ceremony reflected the continuing and vibrant tribal
culture of the country
OMAN 2013
I
n October ICOMAM held its annual conference in Oman at
the University of Nizwa. It proved to be a memorable five
days with many visits and 18 excellent and varied papers.
Oman is a country of contrasts, colour and castles,
welcoming, warm (well often very hot) and wild. Those who
attended will never forget the experience. Here is a phototaste
The warmth the welcome almost overwhelmed our President
The castle of Bait ar Rudayah where our host Christopher Roads
has installed innovative displays
6 MAGAZINE ISSUE 10
including bullet showcases below a chamber roof that were
admired by our President
News
The displays also include more traditional figure scenes
and a larger-than-life, walk-through rifled barrel with monitor
screens in the floor
Down to business again at Bait Al Falaj housing the Sultan’s
Armed Forces Museum. And yes, the one in the orange shirt is
Dutch and the one with a native headdress certainly used to be
and original cannon barrels displayed on replica carriages with full accoutrements
ISSUE 10 MAGAZINE 7
News
Castles everywhere! This one is one of those protecting the Al-Alam Royal Palace
Ex-President Claude Gaier masters the Martini-Henry
David Edge puts up a smoke screen
Not all the castles were in such good condition. Here Chris Roads
introduces the ruined Jemma Castle
The German and Austrian table added a much-needed touch of
class
8 MAGAZINE ISSUE 10
News
But the end was not the end. After the conference was the tour - 3
days of travelling and sight seeing in this extraordinarily barren
but beautiful country. Here we arrive at the walled village of Harat
al Sufala
But then it was time to relax on a boat trip from Sawadi Beach
resort
But there was a sting in the tail - snorkeling and swimming from
the boat - but our President took the lead
and meet a local inhabitant
and the Admiral soon followed
Now how many expect all that on an ICOMAM conference?
ISSUE 10 MAGAZINE 9
News
UN ATT Gen Assmbly
ICOMAM gains exemptions from the Arms Trade
Treaty for some museums
Kenneth L. Smith-Christmas ICOMAM Executive Board Member
T
hrough intense lobbying efforts at the United Nations,
ICOMAM has been able to gain exemptions from the
requirements of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) for nationallevel museums, and for museums, collections, and historic
sites that are sponsoring events or conducting loans on
behalf of a nation. This success has been the result of many
years of activity on the part of several ICOMAM members,
including its past chairman, Mr. Guy Wilson, at firearms
regulations conferences all over the world. When this effort
was re-energized in 2011, it gained new momentum by early
2012, at which time an appeal to exempt ‘antique’ arms was
sent to the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) Preparatory
Committee’s (PrepComm) chairman, and ICOMAM’s position
statement was read during the ATT PrepComm’s February
2012 meeting in New York City.
After the unexpected dissolution of the ATT conference
at the United Nations’ Headquarters in July 2012, ICOMAM
planned once again to write a letter to the new chairman of
10 MAGAZINE ISSUE 10
the ATT conference that was scheduled to occur in midMarch, 2013. Although ICOMAM’s position paper had been
presented to the PrepComm at the conference in July, it
apparently had no effect, even though national-level military
museums in Sweden, Austria, and Belgium had, on very
short notice, promptly contacted their national ATT
delegates in support of ICOMAM. While waiting for the
announcement of the new ATT chairman, ICOMAM drafted a
letter to Dr. Hans-Martin Hinz, president of ICOM, and
requested ICOM’s support in this endeavor. Shortly
thereafter, Mr. Piet de Gryse, ICOMAM’s chairman, sent a
letter to His Excellency Mr. Peter Woolcott, the new ATT
chairman, and Australian ambassador to the UN in Geneva.
In early October 2012, the First Assembly (FA) of the UN
issued a statement that endorsed the verbiage of the July
draft (again not including any exemptions for ‘antique’ arms)
and set the stage for the March 2013 conference. The FA
was scheduled to meet at the end of October and would
News
UN ATT Delegates
UN ATT NGOs
again allow brief statements from non-governmental
organizations (NGOs). Accordingly, yet another brief
statement was prepared for delivery on Monday, 29 October.
However, in anticipation of the chaos that was certain to
ensue during the forecasted hurricane, all arrangements
were cancelled on 26 October, and Hurricane Sandy roared
ashore two days later, shutting down New York City for days.
Meanwhile, through the energetic efforts of Dr. Janice
Murray (Director of the National Army Museum in London)
and Mr. Mark Murray-Flutter of the Royal Armouries in
Leeds, England, the British Museums Association was
apprised of the dangers inherent to museums in the ATT,
and an article soon appeared in that organization’s
newsletter supporting ICOMAM’s position. Mr. David Penn
(retired arms curator at the Imperial War Museum in
London) was also actively working with important contacts
in the British Foreign & Commonwealth Office. ICOMAM’s
chairman, Mr. Piet de Gryse, authored an appeal to
museums worldwide and it began circulating, with the
Network of European Museums sending out a ‘shotgun’
email notification to its members, based on this appeal.
UNESCO’s support was also requested, and, in an
UN ATT Celebration
ISSUE 10 MAGAZINE 11
News
UN ATT Feb Prep Comm
exchange of e-mails, Mr. Francesco Bandarin, the Assistant
Director General for Culture at UNESCO, advised ICOMAM
to have national museums organizations contact their
national representatives with their concerns. However, it
soon became clear that many interested parties, for some
reason, continued to maintain that museums were in no
danger, although the framers of the ATT still steadfastly
refused to exempt ‘antique’ arms from the scope of the
treaty.
At this same time, ICOMAM’s stance was slightly
modified to include museum ‘curiosities’ and ‘relic’
firearms, as well as ‘antiques’. It also became apparent that
the ATT was directed not only at Small Arms and Light
Weapons (SALW), but also at military aircraft and combat
vehicles, regardless of their age. Hence, a WWI Spad aircraft
and a WWII half-track would also fall under the draconian
restrictions of the ATT. A modified version of ICOMAM’s
worldwide appeal, advising organizations in the United
States to contact their US State Department representative,
was also sent out to a number of American private
collectors’ organizations and museum organizations that
had a stake in the outcome of the ATT. However, none of
these groups responded to the emails. Sadly, several
national level military museums and museum networks in
countries worldwide also either declined to become
involved, or simply stopped corresponding with ICOMAM.
In mid-December 2012, the Chief of the History Office of
the US Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) sent a
message to all of the chiefs of the historical offices in the
US Department of Defense, notifying them of the situation
(with ICOMAM’s documents attached) and advised them
that, if they sent a letter in support of ICOMAM’s position,
OSD would favorably endorse their letters and forward them
on to the US Department of State. Very disappointingly, this
opportunity for action was also ignored.
Meanwhile, Dr. Hinz and Mr. Julian Anfruns, Secretary
General of ICOM, had contacted Mr. Woolcott on ICOMAM’s
behalf, and they had received a very cordial and encouraging
reply from him. This, in turn, prompted another letter from
ICOMAM to Mr. Woolcott, voicing concerns that several
national ATT delegates had admitted that, in order to assure
passage of the ATT, no exemptions whatsoever were actually
going to be considered at the March conference, although
the ATT would again allow NGOs to address the national
delegates in a one hour time period at the close of one of
the daily sessions. Concurrently, Mr. Fabio Della Piazza,
chairman of the Council of Europe’s Working Group on
Conventional Arms Export (COARM), made a presentation to
the ICOMAM Executive Board in February. As a result of his
earnest appeal, and a subsequent discussion of the subject
among the Executive Board, ICOMAM wrote another letter to
Mr. Woolcott, further modifying ICOMAM’s position.
Although ICOMAM still maintained that an exemption for
certain classes of weaponry would be the best possible
solution for museums, it gave the ATT the latitude to find
another way to solve the problem.
Mr. Tom Mason, ICOMAM’s mentor in the ATT arena,
once again drafted a letter authorizing the ICOMAM
representative to deliver a very brief address at the ATT
conference at the UN HQ in March 2013, and he then took
care of coordinating all of the necessary security
arrangements. Through his tireless efforts, ICOMAM was
not only assured a place among the NGO presenters, but
was also afforded the opportunity to meet with key
members of the British delegation during the conference
over a dinner that Mr. Mason hosted at New York’s
Metropolitan Club, during which ICOMAM’s concerns were
presented.
Two days later, along with six other NGO presenters,
ICOMAM again made its appeal to exempt antique, curio,
and relic firearms, as well as vintage military aircraft and
vehicles, from the scope of the ATT. The presentation
required 420 copies for distribution among the international
delegates. Curiously, those seven NGOs voicing concerns
about the inadvertent adverse effects of the treaty were
limited to one-page presentations, while those five NGO’s
speaking in favor of the restrictions in the treaty, and
appealing for its passage, were allowed four- to five-page
speeches. Due to the scheduling, ICOMAM was part of the
20-minute time block afforded to the seven NGOs, after the
‘pro-Treaty’ group had used up the previous 40 minutes of
the hour.
On the following day, very gratifyingly, and very
surprisingly, the new wording in the treaty’s language
allowed a ‘state’ (nation) an exemption for any ‘conventional
arms’ for the state’s ‘use’ during a ‘transfer’, as long as the
arms remained the property of the state. This lone
exemption had formerly been confined to military or law
enforcement personnel. Moreover, the new language also
included functions being performed ‘on behalf of a state’,
again providing that the arms did not change hands. The
News
US Marines with Krag Rifles
Camel USAA Museum
drafters of the ATT had, indeed, found another way to
address ICOMAM’s concerns, at least for national-level
museums. When several hypothetical situations were posed
to the framers of the treaty on Mr. Woolcott’s staff, they were
found to be valid. These were:
1. If the Norwegian Army Museum requests a US Krag
rifle from the USMC Museum for permanent exhibit, it can
be loaned (without going through the ATT process) on an
‘indefinite’ loan basis, since the firearm will not change
ownership.
2. If an American re-enactor is invited to a re-enactment
of the Battle of Ridgeway that is being sponsored by Parks
Canada (the Canadian version of the US National Park
Service), he can cross over the border at Niagara with his
replica rifle-musket without going through the ATT process.
3. If the Royal Armouries at Leeds, England, requests a
loan of a Griswold & Gunnison Confederate revolver from
the US Department of Defense museums and the
Smithsonian, but finds that neither of them have one
available for loan, the Royal Armouries can still borrow one
from the Augusta (Georgia) City Museum or from a private
collection in Georgia, without going through the ATT
process, as long as the revolver returns to Georgia.
Additionally, since the European Union apparently is
considered to be a ‘state’ under the ATT, any transfers within
the confines of the EU are exempt.
In the end, ICOMAM got more than what it had been
asking for, at least for national level museums, or
museums, historic sites, and organizations that are able to
garner national-level support for their programs or events.
The exemption is not limited to antique, curio, or relic
firearms, and vintage military aircraft and vehicles, but now
covers all ‘conventional arms.’ ‘Conventional arms’ also
includes civilian firearms, as well as modern military small
arms and weaponry of all types. However, it truly is a pity
that, for private collectors and non-national level museums
world-wide, a matchlock musket is now considered to be on
the same level of lethality as an AK-47 assault rifle, a World
War I-era French FT-17 tank is as fearsome as a current
M1A1 Abrams battle tank, and a Fokker D-7 biplane is equal
to an F-22 fighter aircraft, as far as the ‘transfer’
restrictions in the UN’s Arms Trade Treaty are concerned.
Valentine tank
American re-enactors at the Battle of Ridgeway
News
The Rijksmuseum.
Iwan Baan. Image courtesy of
Rijksmuseum.
Re-opening of the Rijksmuseum
Journey through time, from the Middle Ages to Mondrian
T
he new presentation of the Rijksmuseum collection is a
journey through Dutch art and history from the Middle
Ages and the Renaissance to the 20th century. The story of
the Netherlands is set in an international context and told
chronologically across four separate floors. Paintings,
prints, drawings, photographs, silver, porcelain, delftware,
furniture, jewellery, arms, fashion and objects from Dutch
history will be presented together for the very first time.
More than 30 galleries are dedicated to the glory of the
Golden Age, when the young mercantile republic led the
world in trade, science, military exploits and the arts. At the
heart of the museum will be the magnificently restored
Gallery of Honour, presenting world-famous masterpieces
by Vermeer, Rembrandt, Frans Hals and Jan Steen. The
Gallery of Honour leads visitors to the dedicated space that
architect Cuypers created for Rembrandt’s The Night Watch
in the late 19th century, and where this huge masterpiece
can once again be admired.
New to the presentation are the 20th century galleries.
Paintings, furniture, photography, film and an aeroplane
paint a picture of Dutch culture from the last century. The
Special Collections are also displayed separately for the first
time. Here, visitors will be able to discover famous and
unexpected objects from the applied arts, science and
national history, such as ship and navy models, musical
instruments, and an armoury.
News
The Night Watch Gallery.
Photo credit: Iwan Baan. Image
courtesy of Rijksmuseum.
Rembrandt van Rijn, The Night
Watch, 1642. Oil on Canvas,
379.5cm x 453.5cm. Image
News
17th century gallery. In this
gallery is the ship model William
Rex and on the left, the arms
rack of Admiral Cornelis Tromp.
Tromp was given the rack in
1680, together with a large
number of exotic weapons, by an
old friend from Batavia (now
Jakarta). Some of the weapons,
such as the lances, come from
the Japanese island of
Tanegashima. Most have a redlacquered wooden case. Tromp
also hung three pairs of fine
Dutch pistols on the rack. Photo
credit: Iwan Baan. Image
C. Moesman, Model of the 74gun Dutch battleship William
Rex, 1698. 410cm x 460cm.
Image courtesy of Rijksmuseum.
News
19th century gallery showing the Battle of Waterloo with, on the
left, a trophy with arms from the Belgian Revolt in 1830,
assembled by Sietze Johannes Roosdorp, 1817–72. The Belgian
Revolt of 1830 made such a great impression on thirteen-year-old
Sietze Johannes Roosdorp that the Dutch teenager began to
collect souvenirs of the event. These comprised weapons, parts of
uniforms and musical instruments used by both Dutch and Belgian
troops. Later in his life Roosdorp displayed his collection in the
waiting rooms at the Amsterdam train station where he was
station master. He kept a precise record of who had used what,
such as the pocket inkstand once owned by Baron Chassé,
commander of the citadel of Antwerp. Photo credit: Erik Smits.
Frits Koolhoven, FK 23 Bantam, 1917. British Aerial Transport
Company, London. 762cm (wing span) x 561cm x 206cm.
Image courtesy of Rijksmuseum.
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“Défi à l’oubli” (Au delà des commémorations)
Le Musée National d’Histoire Militaire Diekirch, Luxembourg
“Au service du souvenir et à l’honneur des vétérans”
D
urant ces dernières années et surtout dans le contexte
des 60e et 65e anniversaires de la libération de l’Europe
par les forces alliées, beaucoup de pays avaient organisé
des cérémonies commémoratives auxquelles des anciens
combattants de la 2e Guerre Mondiale, qui avaient pris part
à la libération du continent européen, furent accueillis et
honorés souvent en présence de leurs familles. 65 années,
mesurées à la vie d’un homme, représentent une très
longue période. Les plaies de la 2e Guerre Mondiale sont
cicatrisées en grande partie. Les anciens ennemis se sont
transformés en amis, bons voisins et partenaires. Ce qui a
subsisté pour tous est le souvenir. A de nombreuses
occasions il y eu des rencontres émouvantes entre anciens
combattants adverses. Souvent des vétérans allemands,
américains, britanniques, russes, français, belges,
luxembourgeois et bien d’autres se tombaient dans les bras
pour faire passer le message très fort au monde entier :
« Jamais plus cela. »
Pendant toutes ces commémorations, rencontres
d’anciens combattants, mais aussi lors de visites de musées,
de monuments et sites commémoratifs comme de champs
de bataille et de cimetières militaires, les jeunes générations
d’après guerre apprenaient beaucoup sur l’histoire.
Le sens de la mémoire collective, souvenir, à travers un
regard sur l’histoire, de temps communs chargés de
souffrances, est, aujourd’hui dans l’optique du 70e
anniversaire de la fin de la guerre en 2014 (année
anniversaire qui coïncide également avec le 100e anniversaire
du début de la 1ere Guerre Mondiale), devenu plus fort que
jamais. Il s’agit de sauvegarder et de promouvoir cet esprit
comme garant de la paix. L’histoire, pour qu’elle ne se répète
pas, doit être racontée sans cesse et les évènements d’antan
ramenés à la mémoire à la jeunesse.
Voilà exactement la mission que c’est fixée le Musée
National d’Histoire Militaire de Diekirch, (membre de
l’ICOMAM depuis 2007) au Grand Duché de Luxembourg.
Par la représentation équilibrée, objective et impartiale d’un
des chapitres les plus marquants de la 2e Guerre Mondiale,
à savoir la Bataille des Ardennes 1944/45, le musée
contribue à ce que le flambeau du souvenir collectif ne
s’éteigne pas. Il s’agit en fait de rappeler l’histoire
douloureuse des Américains, Allemands, Britanniques,
Belges, Français et Luxembourgeois ! Une série de
dioramas en vraie grandeur, d’expositions thématiques, de
collections d’armes, d’uniformes, de munitions de
véhicules, de pièces d’artillerie, de matériel médical, de
génie, de transmissions, d’équipements militaires de toutes
sortes, de photos d’origine ainsi que d’objets personnels
des soldats racontent de façon concrète l’histoire qui doit
rester dans les mémoires.
Fondé en 1982 à l’initiative de Roland GAUL, fondateur et
actuel conservateur par une poignée de bénévoles,
passionnés d’histoire et collectionneurs, le musée, grâce à
son impartialité et son équilibre, s’est assuré entre-temps
une renommée, en matière d’histoire militaire appliquée,
bien au-delà des frontières. Il tient sa place dans le spectre
des valeurs du souvenir des évènements d’antan.
Le musée, mesuré à la dimension humaine de la
Bataille des Ardennes, compte parmi les plus grands
d’Europe. Sa situation géographique au milieu des champs
de bataille de 1944/45 dans les Ardennes luxembourgeoises,
le rend d’autant plus attractif pour les visiteurs intéressés.
Sa page Internet HYPERLINK "http://www.mnhm.lu"
www.mnhm.lu donne une parfaite vue d’ensemble sur la
diversité et le volume des collections du musée qui est visité
par des membres de famille et descendants de vétérans de
la guerre tout au long de l’année. L’impartialité, la précision
historique et le souci du détail des expositions éducatives
attirent l’intérêt des visiteurs de toutes nationalités.
Vraiment, un arrêt à Diekirch vaut le coup. Pour une
visite complète il faut compter 3 heures.
Une visite du Musée National d’Histoire Militaire de
Diekirch peut facilement être combinée avec une randonnée
pédestre dans un des secteurs de l’ancien champ de bataille
de la région frontalière germano-luxembourgeoise,
dépliants et cartes étant disponibles au musée. Il y a d’autre
part la possibilité de visiter des monuments de guerre, le
cimetière militaire US, où le Général Patton est enterré,
ainsi que le cimetière militaire allemand, tous deux à
proximité de la ville de Luxembourg. Ces visites combinées
ont eu beaucoup de succès ces dernières années car la
visite du musée suivi d’une randonnée passant par des
monuments, les cimetières militaires et même l’une ou
l’autre ruine de blockhaus du « Westwall » proche de
frontière allemande peut se faire en une journée. Des tours
couvrant la région transfrontalière plus vaste peuvent se
faire en un week-end.
Précisons que du point de vue historique, le visiteur se
rendra compte que la Bataille des Ardennes ne se résume
pas à la Bataille de Bastogne (surtout aux Etats-Unis,
Bastogne est à nouveau devenue très populaire par la série
de films de Steven Spielberg « Band of Brothers » retraçant
l’histoire de la « Easy Company » du 506e Régiment
d’Infanterie Parachutiste de la 101e Division Aéroportée). Il
faut se rendre à l’évidence que pour atteindre les faubourgs
de Bastogne, les agresseurs ont d’abord dû passer par le
nord du Luxembourg et les cantons de l’est de la Belgique.
Bon nombre d’historiens sont aujourd’hui d’accord à
reconnaître que l’issue de la Bataille des Ardennes a été
décidée au courant des deux premiers jours sur les flancs
nord et sud du saillant, sans pour autant minimiser
l’engagement courageux et la résistance acharnée des
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défenseurs de Bastogne. Le MNHM par ailleurs entretient
d’excellentes relations avec Bastogne et surtout avec le
nouveau musée « Base Bastogne » ancien QG du Général
McAuliffe où un chapitre d’histoire mondiale fut écrit en
répondant « Nuts » à la demande de reddition de l’ennemi.
La « Base Bastogne » est une branche du Musée Royal de
l’Armée et d’Histoire Militaire (KLM-MRA) de Bruxelles. Il ne
faut pas perdre de vue le fait qu’après la libération de
Bastogne, la 3e Armée du Général Patton a dû continuer à
libérer village après village en grande partie dans les
Ardennes luxembourgeoises et ce par un temps exécrable et
des températures en dessous de zéro jusqu’en janvier 1945.
D’autres sections du MNHM illustrent l’histoire de
l’armée luxembourgeoise www.armee.lu, les soldats ONU
des contingents luxembourgeois en Corée (1950-53), ainsi
que les Anciens Combattants luxembourgeois en 1940-45.
Afin de mieux rapprocher l’histoire vivante et palpable
aux visiteurs, le Musée National d’Histoire Militaire peut
organiser des visites de groupes combinées.
Afin de mieux planifier une visite à Diekirch au
Luxembourg, et de mieux préparer le séjour par une
introduction à ce chapitre important de l’histoire de la 2e
Guerre Mondiale, nous conseillons de parcourir notre page
Internet www.mnhm.lu avec ses informations détaillées sur
le musée et les randonnées. Les randonnées peuvent aussi
être préparées en se connectant sur « Bulge trails ». La
visite de musées similaires dans le nord du Luxembourg et
en Belgique est possible suite à la visite du musée de
Diekirch et ce en une journée. Des informations à ce sujet
sont disponibles sur le site www.amba.lu.
Les coordonnées du Musée
National d’Histoire Militaire.
Adresse et heures d’ouverture :
Le Musée National d’Histoire Militaire se trouve dans les
vieux bâtiments de « l’Ancienne Brasserie » de Diekirch
situés au :
10, Bamertal
L-9209 Diekirch
Grand-Duché de Luxembourg
Tel: +352 - 808908 ou +352 - 804719
FAX: +352 - 804719
Adresse Internet: www.mnhm.lu
Adresse électronique: info@mnhm.lu
Le musée est ouvert tous les jours de 10 :00 – 18 :00 heures
à l’exception de:
01 Janvier
25 Décembre
Dimanche de carnaval (variable – habituellement début
Février)
N.B. : Dernière entrée à 17:45 heures.
Prix des entrées :
Adultes : 5€
Jeunes 10-18ans : 3€
Enfants en dessous de 10 ans : gratuits
Etudiants (en possession de leur carte d’étudiant) : 3€
Anciens combattants et vétérans (avec carte
d’anciencombattant) : gratuits
Militaires en uniforme : 3€
Tarifs de groupe (minimum 10 personnes) : 3€ par personne
Tarif de groupe pour visite de 2 heures avec guide
multilingue : 5€ par personne
(Minimum 10 personnes)
Audio-guides (en 5 langues) en option : 2.50€
Remarques :
Des visites guidées de groupe sont possibles tout au long de
l’année sur simple réservation par écrit.
Pour l’instant, le musée ne peut être que partiellement
visité en chaise roulante.
Le stationnement gratuit sur l’enceinte du musée est
momentanément limité.
Routes d’accès vers Diekirch:
Partant de Luxembourg-ville en voiture :
Prendre la direction du nord, route signalée par Mersch,
Ettelbruck vers Diekirch. Le musée se trouve à quelques
300 mètres de l’église de Diekirch en direction de Clervaux.
Le temps de conduite Luxembourg-Diekirch est d’environ 50
minutes.
Sur une carte routière, Diekirch se trouve au nord-est de
Luxembourg-ville.
Par train :
A partir de la gare de Luxembourg les trains vers Ettelbrück
circulent par intervalles d’une heure.
A partir de la gare d’Ettelbrück, les liaisons vers Diekirch
sont possibles par train ou bus par intervalles de 30
minutes. De la gare de Diekirch jusqu’au musée il faut
compter 10 minutes de marche passant par le centre-ville,
l’église en suivant le panneau « Musée Militaire ».
Hébergement :
Des hôtels et des restaurants sont proposés sur le site
Internet du Syndicat d’Initiative et de tourisme de la Ville de
Diekirch sous : www.diekirch.lu, email:
tourisme@diekirch.lu ou bien sur le site de l’Office National
du Tourisme sous: www.ont.lu;
email: info@ont.lu
Stationnement :
Dû à des constructions, le stationnement sur l’enceinte du
musée st actuellement très limité. Une aire de
stationnement payant pour bus et voitures privées se trouve
près de l’église à environ 300 mètres du musée. Le
stationnement gratuit est possible près de la gare. Un
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parking couvert (250 emplacements) se non loin du musée,
accès par la « Rue de l’Esplanade » accessible par
circulation giratoire à partir de l’église.
Le Musée National d’Histoire Militaire est membre
fondateur de l’AMBA (Association belgo- luxembourgeoise
des Musées de la Bataille des Ardennes, www.amba.lu).
Depuis 2007, il est membre de l’ICOMAM (International
Committee for Museums of Arms and Military History)
Il est d’autre part fier d’être partenaire européen du
« National World War II Museum » à New Orleans (Nouvelle
Orléans), USA. (www.nationalww2museum.org/), du Korean
National War Museum and Memorial (Séoul, Corée du Sud),
d’avoir un accord de coopération avec le Musée Royal de
l’Armée et d’Histoire Militaire à Bruxelles (MRA-KLM) et
d’entretenir d’excellentes relations avec de grands musées
en Allemagne, en Belgique, aux Etats-Unis, en France, aux
Pays-Bas, au Royaume Uni et ailleurs
Nous nous réjouissons de votre visite
Lest we forget - Beyond anniversary dates
National Museum of Military History Diekirch, Luxembourg
‘A lasting tribute to WWII veterans, as remembrance continues’
D
uring the past few years and in the context of the recent
60th and 65th anniversaries of the liberation of Europe
by allied forces, returning WWII veterans and their families
were warmly welcomed and properly recognized by many
grateful nations they once liberated. On numerous
occasions there were also ‘reconciliation events’ at which
American, British & other allied, as well as German,
veterans – once former opponents – shook hands as friends,
thus conveying the powerful message of ‘never again’. It
was noted that the post WWII generations learned a lot
about history not only by meeting veterans, but especially by
visiting local museums, memorials, former battlefields and
military cemeteries. The spirit of mutual remembrance of a
common, but painful, past is still very vivid today as we are
drawing closer to the 70th anniversary of the end of WWII in
2014 (at the same time the 100th anniversary of the
beginning of WW1). This spirit must be nurtured and
promoted. The story must be told and told again to the
young and to future generations.
The National Museum of Military History in Diekirch,
Luxembourg, (a member of ICOMAM since 2007) has, as its
key objective and mission, the ‘passing of the torch of
remembrance’ by showing, in an informative, educational
and balanced way, the liberation of Luxembourg in 1944–5
by American and allied forces and the history of the ‘Battle
of the Bulge’. A series of large-scale life-size dioramas,
thematic exhibits, weaponry, ammunition, vehicles, artillery
pieces, medical, radio, and signal equipment, countless
original photographs and many personal artifacts tell this
story that must never be forgotten. Started in 1982 by a
handful of enthusiasts and volunteers at the initiative of
Roland Gaul, founder and present curator, the museum, has
grown over the years into a key attraction when it comes to
focusing on WWII and military history and remembrance.
The museum itself is perhaps the largest of its kind in
Europe, extensively focusing on the ‘human dimension’ of
the ‘Bulge’ in the Ardennes. Its location on the actual
1944–5 battlefield in Luxembourg, makes it another
unbeatable asset for interested visitors. The museum’s
website www.mnhm.lu provides an excellent insight into its
diverse exhibits which are visited throughout the year by
families and descendents of veterans. The museum’s
educational exhibits are rated very positively by everyone of
all nationalities because of their impartiality and attention to
historical accuracy and detail. A visit pays off and we
recommend to plan for at least 3 hours!
A visit to the National Museum of Military History in
Diekirch, Luxembourg can be easily coupled with a ‘terrain
walk’ of a section of the former battlefield in the
Luxembourg-German border area (pamphlets and maps are
available) and a tour of a large range of American & allied
WWII memorials in Luxembourg, as well as the
Luxembourg-American cemetery in Hamm/Luxembourg
(where General George S. Patton, jr. is buried) and the
nearby German WWII military cemetery at Sandweiler.
During the past years, this combination of museum,
terrain walk(s), visits to key memorials, the two military
cemeteries and remains of the German ‘Westwall/Siegfried
Line’ that can all be comfortably managed during one day,
has gained increasing popularity. More elaborate transborder tours are possible over a weekend.
On the other hand, from an educational point of view, the
visitor will also learn that before there was a Battle of
Bastogne, Belgium (made again famous because of ‘Band of
Brothers’ and ‘Easy Company’ by Steven Spielberg and often
thought of as the ‘Bulge’), there was a battle of Northern
Luxembourg and other parts of Belgium before the German
troops reached Bastogne. Numerous historians nowadays
agree that the ‘Battle of the Ardennes’ (Bulge) was actually
‘won’ the first two days on the northern and southern
shoulders, without taking away the credit of the US troops
who defended Bastogne. The NMMH strongly cooperates,
though, with Bastogne, especially with the ‘Base Bastogne’,
formerly General Anthony McAuliffe’s Headquarters during
the Bulge (where world history was made by responding
‘Nuts’ to the German offer for surrender). ‘Base Bastogne’
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is a branch of the KLM-MRA (Royal Army and Military
History Museum, Brussels). In addition, the Third Army,
commanded by General George S. Patton, jr. (who is buried
in Luxembourg) had to continue to liberate town after town,
village after village in Luxembourg in January 1945, way
after Bastogne had been retaken.
Further sections of the museum portray the history of
the Luxembourg army (www.armee.lu), Luxembourg UN
soldiers in Korea 1950–3 and the Luxembourg allied
soldiers 1940–5. A special exhibit on the Luxembourg
volunteers in the armies of the ‘Entente’ in WWI is planned
for 2014.
To familiarize interested visitors with history that can be
‘felt and walked’, the National Museum of Military History
can set up guided tours and/or combination visits (available
in several languages) for tour groups.
We encourage you to consult our website for a more
detailed description of our museum and ‘terrain walk’ to
allow you to plan your visit and familiarize yourself with an
important chapter of WWII history.
The website is www.mnhm.lu and the terrain walk can
be found by clicking on ‘Bulge trails’. Visits to similar
museums in northern Luxembourg and Belgium are also
feasible during one day after touring the National Museum
of Military History. Information about other museums can be
found under www.amba.lu
Further details:
The National Museum of Military History is located in the
complex of the Diekirch ‘old brewery’ at:
10, Bamertal
L-9209 Diekirch
Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
Tel: (352) 808908
FAX: (352) 808908-99
Stuart W. Pyhrr to Become
Distinguished Research Curator
after 25 Years Leading
Metropolitan Museum’s Arms
and Armor Department
Pierre Terjanian Named Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Curator in
Charge of the Department
homas P. Campbell, Director of The Metropolitan
Museum of Art, today, 12 March 2013, announced two
new appointments within its Department of Arms and
Armor. Stuart W. Pyhrr, the current Arthur Ochs Sulzberger
Curator in Charge, will assume the newly created position of
T
website: www.mnhm.lu
email: "mailto:info@mnhm.lu"
The Museum is open as follows:
Daily from 10:00 – 18:00 (last ticket sold at 17:15
Admission:
Adults: 5€
Children (10-18): 3€
Children under 10: Free
Students (with valid student card): 3€
WWII Veterans (with veteran association affiliation card): Free
Military personnel in uniform: 3€
Group rates (minimum 10 persons): 3€ per person
Group rates for guided tours (minimum 10 persons):
5€ per person.
Optional audio-guides in 5 languages are available for 2.5€
Guided tours are possible throughout the year on written
request
The museum is currently only partially accessible to
wheelchairs
Limited, free, (bus) parking is available on the museum
compound
The National Museum of Military History is a founding
member of AMBA, the Belgian-Luxembourg Association of
the Museums of the Battle of the Ardennes (www.amba.lu)
and a proud European partner of the National World War II
Museum in New Orleans, USA
(www.nationalww2museum.org/) and the National War
Memorial and Museum of Korea, Seoul, Republic of South
Korea and the KLM-MRA Museum in Brussels/Belgium
We look forward to your visit!
Distinguished Research Curator, and Pierre Terjanian,
currently a Curator in the department, will become the
Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Curator in Charge. These changes
will go into effect on 1 July.
Mr. Campbell stated: ‘I am pleased to announce that,
after 25 years of extraordinary accomplishments as head of
the Museum’s Department of Arms and Armor, Stuart Pyhrr
will transition to a new position as Distinguished Research
Curator. Stuart is a devoted scholar who has enhanced the
collections and galleries of one of the most treasured areas
of the Met. His future research will continue to build on the
department’s remarkable 100-year history. I am also
delighted to appoint Pierre Terjanian as his successor and
look forward to working together with him to continue
developing the role of arms and armor at the Museum.’
News
Stuart W. Pyhrr
S
tuart W. Pyhrr began his career with the Metropolitan
Museum in 1971 as a fellow and research assistant in
the Arms and Armor Department, while pursuing his
graduate studies at the Institute of Fine Arts, New York
University. He became Assistant Curator of Arms and Armor
in 1977, Associate Curator in 1982, Curator and department
head in 1988, and the Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Curator in
Charge in 1997.
He lectures and publishes extensively in the field of
European armor, and has organized or coordinated several
major exhibitions including The Art of Chivalry: European
Arms and Armor from The Metropolitan Museum of Art
(traveled 1982-84); Liechtenstein: The Princely Collections
(1985-86); and Heroic Armor of the Italian Renaissance:
Filippo Negroli and his Contemporaries (1998-99), which
was named ‘Exhibition of the Year’ by Apollo magazine.
From 1989 to 1991, Mr. Pyhrr supervised the renovation,
redesign, and reinstallation of the Metropolitan Museum’s
Arms and Armor Galleries—a space of 10,000 square feet in
which 1,200 objects are currently displayed—including the
creation of two galleries of Japanese arms and armor.
During his tenure, the department also organized and
presented such major international exhibitions as Warriors
of the Himalayas: Rediscovering the Arms and Armor of
Tibet (2006) and Art of the Samurai: Japanese Arms and
Armor, 1156–1868 (2009-2010). Mr. Pyhrr oversaw the
creation in 1996 of a new gallery for rotating exhibitions, The
Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Gallery, which hosts a series of
exhibitions drawn from department’s holdings.
The Arms and Armor Department’s collection grew by
more than 400 pieces under his leadership. Notable among
the gifts and purchases is the diminutive armor made in
Paris in 1712 for Prince Luis, the five-year-old heir to the
Spanish throne; a gold-encrusted and jeweled Turkish
sword (yatagan), ca. 1530, from the court of Suleyman the
Magnificent; a number of richly embellished European
firearms, including the silver-inlaid flintlock sporting gun of
Empress Margarita Teresa of Austria, a Viennese work of ca.
1670 made in the fashionable French taste; and a
significantly enhanced series of American arms, among
them a gold-inlaid Colt revolver reputedly given to the
Sultan of Turkey in 1854, the gold-mounted sword presented
by Congress to General John E. Wool in 1854 for his exploits
in the Mexican War, and a group of Smith & Wesson
revolvers decorated in a variety of silversmithing techniques
by Tiffany and Company at the end of the 19th century.
In 2012 the Department of Arms and Armor celebrated
its centennial with a thorough refurbishment of the Arms
and Armor Galleries, introducing 60 more objects, 1,000
updated labels, and improved lighting, and organizing the
exhibition Bashford Dean and the Creation of the Arms and
Armor Department. For the centennial, Mr. Pyhrr authored
the Museum’s Summer Bulletin on the history of the Arms
and Armor Department and an article in the Metropolitan
Museum Journal on the Museum’s first major acquisition of
arms and armor.
Mr. Pyhrr is currently overseeing the preparation of two
major catalogues—one on the department’s outstanding
collection of 16th-century English armors made in the Royal
Workshops at Greenwich, and the other on highlights of the
Museum’s extensive holdings of Islamic arms and armor—
both of which are scheduled for publication in 2014-15.
Pierre Terjanian
P
ierre Terjanian has been a Curator in the Metropolitan
Museum’s Department of Arms and Armor since
October 2012. Prior to that, he worked at the Philadelphia
Museum of Art since 1997, first as an Andrew W. Mellon
Curatorial Fellow of Arms and Armor (1997-2000), and then
as Adjunct Associate Curator (2000-2003), Associate Curator
(2004-2006), and the J. J. Medveckis Associate Curator
(2006-2012), all in the Department of European Decorative
Arts and Sculpture before 1700. In his latter role as J. J.
Medveckis Associate Curator, he oversaw the museum’s
Kretzschmar von Kienbusch Collection of more than 1,200
outstanding examples of late medieval and Renaissance
European arms and armor and related objects. From 2005
to 2012, he was also Acting Head of the Department of
European Decorative Arts and Sculpture before 1700,
administering the department and overseeing its collection.
Among his many activities at the museum, he researched
and re-catalogued extensive portions of the arms and armor
collection; rediscovered unique, long-lost 16th-century
albums of drawings illustrating the works of leading
German armorers; reinstalled four permanent galleries for
arms and armor; acquired works including rare 16thcentury armors for man and horse; prepared a
comprehensive, richly illustrated catalogue of 100 highlights
of the arms and armor collection that is scheduled for
publication in 2014; and lectured widely. A native of
Strasbourg, France, he obtained a masters degree in law
from Université Paris II Panthéon-Assas, a master of
science degree in management from HEC Paris, and a
doctoral degree in history from Université de Metz, and has
also done graduate study in history at the University of
California, Berkeley.
Exhibitions
National Army Museum
Exhibitions
Britain’s Greatest Battles, 13 January – 2 June 2013
hat was Britain's Greatest Battle? You decide!
Exploring over 400 years of Britain’s battles, from
Culloden and Waterloo to Rorke’s Drift and Musa Qala, this
exhibition examines the key facts, impact and legacies of the
20 top British battles chosen by our curators. It targets how
tactics, luck and innovations have helped the British Army
scoop victory and where it found its fiercest challenges,
opponents and bitterest triumphs.
Original artifacts help tell the stories behind these
battles and the real-life experiences of soldiers on both
sides who fought in them. Encompassing changes in
warfare, politics and culture Britain’s Greatest Battles asks
you to decide which one was the greatest test to Britain’s
military and biggest success.
This exhibition is part of our Britain’s Greatest Battles
online and event programme. Visit our website to discover
more about these notable struggles and vote for which of
the top 20 battles become the top five represented at our
all-day speaker event which determines British Greatest
Battle.
Don’t miss our online poll and exhibition
www.nam.ac.uk/battles
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Forthcoming family events
May Half-Term Workshops - FREE
25 May - 2 June 2013. Weekdays, from 11.00am and 2.00pm
Suitable for ages 5-11*
Build Your Own...
15 - 16 June 2013, from 10.30am to 4.30pm - FREE
This Father’s Day weekend bring along your competitive
spirit and take part in our mini- build activities. From tanks
to trebuchets, use your engineering skills to create
magnificent machinery in miniature to compete for first
place!
» Be inspired by the history behind your mini-build
» Explore the Museum’s Handling Collection
» Try your hand at our rifle training range
» Tackle the rock-climbing wall
Suitable for ages 7+*
*Children must be accompanied by an adult
Toy Soldier Weekend
27 - 28 July 2013 10.30am - 4.30pm – FREE
Visit us this weekend for a chance to see fascinating
collections of military models. Enjoy recreations of key
events that the British Army has been involved in and meet
our curators to discover the story behind the Museum’s,
own and rarely seen model collection.
Suitable for ages 7+
If the Invader Comes…
21 September 2013 10.30am - 4.30pm – FREE
This day of hands-on activities will give you and all the
family a taster of life in the Home Guard, take part in drill,
have a go at putting out fires, learn about unexploded bombs
and marvel as the gun and searchlight teams scan the skies
for danger. Finish it all off with a sing song round the piano!
Suitable for all ages
Big Blitz Jive
21 September 2013 7.30pm – Midnight – FREE
Get into the swing as the National Army Museum
presents its annual 1940s themed jive event. Brush up on
your footwork with the professional dance instructors from
the London Swing Dance Society, enjoy a ’40s style
makeover and take away a souvenir photograph of the
evening.
Tickets
£15.00 Standard • £12.50 Concessions £7.50 Under 15s
Gurkha Food Festival
23 November 2013 10.30am - 4.30pm – FREE
The cultural and geographic diversities of Nepal provide
a variety of unique cuisines with flavourful, rich and
aromatically spiced dishes. Come along to our Gurkha Food
Festival, in association with Gurkha Fine Foods, and treat
your taste buds to the unmistakable flavours of Nepal.
Permanent galleries
Kids' Zone
Discover the Museum’s new soft-play area called Kids’
Zone with forest and arctic themed climbing frames for kids
to scale, slide and run through. This colourful children’s play
area explores aspects of army life from camping to clothing
and includes a dedicated soft-play space for babies, plus
arts and crafts, dressing-up costumes, books, interactive
Exhibitions
toys and panels. At the heart of the new Kids’ Zone are the
six key principals of Early Years Foundation Stages, ensuring
that children are learning whilst having fun. There are
exciting objects from the Museum’s Collection on display
with lots of interactive models for children to touch and
explore. This fresh new space offers kids the space to move,
interact and create in a bright and safe environment.
Space opens daily from 10.10am - 5.15pm
Admission charges apply.
More info: www.nam.ac.uk/kids
Changing the World 1784 – 1904
This gallery examines the British Army’s role in the
expansion and defence of British trade, political interest,
and empire, and its effect on the shape of Britain and the
world today.
World Wars, 1905-1945
This gallery explores the role of the British
Commonwealth's civilian armies and their defence of
democracy during the First and Second World Wars, the era
of 'Total War'.
Conflicts of Interest
This major new gallery examines over four decades of
action on the world stage by the modern British Army.
Looking beyond the media headlines, it explores the
conflicting interests of enforcing peace through a violent
means, balancing global security with the needs of
vulnerable communities and the demands of the job on the
personal lives of our troops.
National Service Display
Covering eight conflicts in 20 years, this new display
explores the contribution of Britain’s post-war national
service conscripts as they moved from civilian to soldier.
Personal stories of endless drilling and grueling inspections
are contrasted with detail on how such a range of difficult
commitments sent these young men to far-flung corners of
the world.
The Making of Britain Display
From foreign invasion to contests for the crown, from
civil war at home to rebellion in the Colonies, this gallery
investigates the Army’s role in creating and defending the
nation state of Great Britain we know today. Korea 1950 – 53: The Cold War’s Hot War
Marking the 60th Anniversary since the outbreak of the
Korean War, this new display examines the role of the
British Army during the first and only UN war to date. Mixing
personal objects and artefacts from the Museum’s
collection with contemporary media reports, the display will
explore both the personal experience of soldiers and the
far-reaching legacy of the conflict. 24 MAGAZINE ISSUE 10
Action Zones
Victorian Soldier Action Zone
Are you a drummer boy, an infantryman or a cavalry
officer? Find out in the Museum’s interactive Victorian
Action Zone. Quizzes, games and hands-on activities help
you learn about life as a Victorian Soldier and the part they
played in the shaping of Britain’s Empire. Admission: Free
Location: Changing the World gallery
The World’s Army – Empire, Commonwealth and Dominion
Soldiers 1914- 45 Action Zone
Explore the lives of people from around the world
involved in the First and Second World Wars and the great
advance made in technologies of warfare in our family
interactive zone.
Lunchtime lectures
Free Lunchtime lectures take place every Thursday at
12.30pm. Please see website for further details
http://www.nam.ac.uk/whats-on/lunchtime-lectures
Exhibitions
The Irish and France: Three
Centuries of Military
The National Museum of Ireland – Decorative
Arts & History, Collins Barracks, Dublin 7
A
s part of Ireland’s 2013 EU Presidency Cultural
Programme, the National Museum of Ireland in
association with the French Embassy in Ireland is delighted
to present ‘1689 - 2012, The Irish and France: Three
Centuries of military relations’, an exhibition produced by
the Musée de l’Armée (Army Museum, Paris). This will be
the first exhibition launched as part of the Culture Connects
– Ireland’s EU Cultural Programme 2013.
This exhibition shows Irish and French military
cooperation since the 17th century. From the ‘Wild Geese’ to
the ‘First World War to Samuel Beckett’s time in the French
resistance, the exhibition retraces the history of the close
relations between the Irish and France.
Covering the period 1689 to 2012, including the Irish
regiments which fought for France in the 17th, 18th and 19th
centuries, it features material on the Wild Geese, who
served their adopted country. Indeed, one of their
descendants, Patrice MacMahon, became President of the
Third French Republic in 1873. The exhibition also covers
the role of Irish men and women in World War I and World
War II – in particular Samuel Beckett’s involvement in the
French resistance. The exhibition concludes with a panel on
the most recent cooperation between the French and Irish
army in the EUFOR mission in Chad.
Admission to the National Museum of Ireland is Free
Open Tuesday – Saturday 10.00am – 5.00pm
Sunday 2.00pm – 5.00pm
For more information, contact: Maureen Gaule, Marketing
Department, National Museum of Ireland, Collins
Barracks
T: 01 648 6429 | M: 087 9031690| E: mgaule@museum.ie
Articles
KOISO Ryohei and
other Japanese
painters’ war record
pictures in the
Netherlands East
Indies
Ikuma Hirota,
Curator of Kobe City Museum
Introduction
o commemorate the 70th
anniversary of the capitulation of
Kalijati in the Netherlands East Indies,
a remarkable special exhibition is
being held at Museum Bronbeek in
Arnhem, The Netherlands. We can see
war iconography of the Netherlands
East Indies in 1941–42. In particular,
six large picture panels of Japanese
war art are exhibited with many
weapons in the gallery. This exhibition
titled Indie at War in 1942: from Battle
to Occupation - In commemoration of
the 70th year since the Kalijati
capitulation can be seen until 8
December 2012. After that, some of
those will be displayed at the website,
and according to the suggestion of
Drs. Pauljac Verhoeven, Museum
Bronbeek director, the catalogue will
be issued around the 8 March 2013.
Among them, the description of
Japanese attack will be expected.
In this essay, I will discuss
Japanese war painters whose war
records are displayed in Museum
Bronbeek. In particular, KOISO Ryohei
the main Japanese artist of this
gallery will be also major theme here.
T
Articles
Japanese war pictures in wartime
and KOISO Ryohei
KOISO Ryohei (1903–88), one of the
most important western-style painters
in modern Japan, went to the
battlefield four times at the request of
the Japanese Imperial Army and Navy
at the time of the Sino-Japanese War
and Pacific War (1937–45), and
produced many war images like many
other famous Japanese painters. His
works related to war were shown to
the public in the Holy War Art
Exhibition (Seisen-Bijutsuten) and the
Greater East Asia War Art Exhibition
(Daitoa-Senso-Bijutsuten). His
paintings, Combat at Chinese Gate in
Nanjing and Soldiers and Horses (on
indefinite loan to The National
Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo) won
the Asahi Cultural Prize in 1939, and
Marching in Niangzi Guan received the
1st Imperial Japanese Academy Award
of Art in 1942.
Other famous Japanese militaryservice artists, FOUJITA Tsuguharu
(1886–1968), MIYAMOTO Saburo
(1905–74), MUKAI Junkichi (1901–95),
NAKAMURA Kenichi (1895–1967) are
well known. In particular, FOUJITA
stands at their pinnacle. During
wartime, their impressive war
paintings went on a special touring
exhibition (for example, the Holy War
Art Exhibition and the Greater East
Asia War Art Exhibition) in Tokyo,
Osaka, Kyoto and other cities including
Seoul in Korea, Taipei in Taiwan,
Xinjing in Manchuria, which were
colonies of Japan at the time, and was
well received. Many of them were
aware of the historical paintings of
Napoleonic France. In fact, there were
many outstanding works of
composition which depicted the war.
However, after the defeat of Japan,
the interpretation of the works
completely changed. The word ‘war
crime’ was feared by these painters. In
addition, they suffered that their
pictures helped to raise people's
fighting spirit. Therefore, images of
the Japanese war were taboo. KOISO’s
works of war have been barely
exhibited and published, although his
war paintings had received high praise
in wartime. Especially, KOISO himself
didn't wish for that, either. For
example, in 1977, when his war record
pictures' publication was requested,
he was quoted in a Japanese art
magazine, In my opinion, the time has
not come yet. He would not talk about
his war paintings until his death,
except words translated as I have a
responsibility.
KOISO’s works of war
have been barely
exhibited and published,
although his war
paintings had received
high praise in wartime.
MIYAMOTO Saburo Surprise Attack of
Naval Paratroops at Menado
This case of KOISO Ryohei is also
applicable to other painters who
followed Japanese Imperial Army and
Navy. The case of FOUJITA Tsuguharu,
who had been condemned due to his
cooperation with the war, was an
extremely serious problem. FOUJITA
was embarrassed by the Japanese art
world and he left Japan in 1949. He
became a naturalised citizen of France
and he did not return to his mother
country again. FOUJITA, who was
forced to change his life due to the
Japanese war, died quietly in
Switzerland in 1968. Consequently, no
one was designated as a war criminal
in the Japanese art world. However,
FOUJITA and his wife had both died so
his war paintings have never been
published. Those who want to publish
them are waiting for the expiration of
copyright. In addition, since drawing
many war record paintings, MIYAMOTO
Saburo said My alibi does not hold
anymore after the war. I think that he
had resigned himself to be judged as a
war criminal. In this way, corporation
with the Japanese Military (but it was
the emperor’s function in war time)
damaged their conscience after the
war. In that sense, the real end of the
war has not yet come for them.
Articles
The discovery of wartime letters of
KOISO Ryohei
In the summer of 2007, interesting
historical materials related to war
paintings were found. They were the
wartime letters of KOISO Ryohei. He
wrote them to his painter friend
UCHIDA Iwao (1900–53) who held
liberal views and who had refused the
request of military service due to his
poor physical health. KOISO and
UCHIDA were graduates of Tokyo Fine
Arts School and they had been friends
since school days. During World War
II, KOISO, who was one of the central
figures of the art world through the
production of Japanese war paintings,
lived in the international port city,
Kobe. On the other hand, UCHIDA,
who didn’t have a good reputation with
the Imperial Army and Navy had been
evacuated to a local village in
Okayama. However, they were best
friends and they could talk about
anything through establishment of the
new art group in the era of turbulence.
In 2004, I planned a special
exhibition of UCHIDA Iwao to
commemorate 50 years after his
death. This exhibition was organized in
collaboration with Mr. FUJII Shigeki,
curator of Niimi city museum. The
peaceful town of Niimi was the
evacuation area of UCHIDA in wartime.
And at that time, I became acquainted
with his daughter who told me that
there were letters from KOISO.
However, they did not come out in
2004. Then after three years, the
KOISO letters were found in the house
of the eldest daughter of UCHIDA.
There were 38 pieces, and I discovered
a very important letter among them.
In this letter, dated 31 December
1944, KOISO Ryohei wrote about the
sufferings of Japanese artists during
the war. He said,
There is no evidence that war
painting have a good direction. We
must consider this problem. I think
Japanese war pictures and pure arts
are sick. And I understand the feelings
of those who blame the war
paintings…Everyone doesn’t know
what to do. Even if they know they
can’t do anything…Encouragement to
draw war images is completely
meaningless. It has no effect… The
Japanese are suffering. Suffer more! I
will suffer more! You will suffer
more… and It’s my true feelings!
However, you may feel as I feel, our
situation is not good now..
This unexpected discovery was big
news in Japan. Because it might be
acknowledged that KOISO was
opposed to the policies of the
Japanese military that were promoting
the production of war paintings. And it
was very dangerous at that time.
However, I think he had only slight
political intentions. More than that,
KOISO was tired of making war
paintings because the suffering was
reflected in his writings. So, I want to
KOISO Ryohei(Left)and MIYAMOTO
Saburo(Right)
talk about his serious suffering later.
Incidentally, after the war, UCHIDA
Iwao attacked war paintings as the
forefront of liberal artists group and he
advocated the democratization of the
Japanese art world. He was a friend of
Fujita, but he never allowed the war
record art. Therefore, many people
think that UCHIDA cornered FOUJITA
Tsuguharu, MIYAMOTO Saburo and
other artists. The truth is a mystery.
However, in the turmoil of post-war
Japan, that artists were confused is a
clear fact. In order to reveal it, I will
clear up the truth of their wartime. I
would like to discuss the details here,
and I believe that it also lead to the
elucidation of the suffering of KOISO
Ryohei.
Articles
KOISO ’s war record pictures in the
Netherlands East Indies
In March 1942, KOISO Ryohei was
elected as military-service painter.
KOISO’s third military service
destination was Indonesia. According
to Japanese Imperial Army’s
documents at that time, 15 other
painters were also dispatched to the
battlefields including FOUJITA and
MIYAMOTO. KOISO stayed in Batavia
on Java Island from May to July.
The theme given to KOISO Ryohei
was the ceasefire meeting between
the Japanese Army and the Royal
Netherlands Indies Army. In order to
paint the monumental war record
painting, he drew many rough
sketches. Among them, there is on oil
sketch of IMAMURA Hitosi (Supreme
Commander of the Imperial Japanese
Army) holding a samurai sword in his
hand. Furthermore, KOISO went to a
prisoner of war camp and drew Dutch
officers and politicians. In these oil
sketches, Hein ter Poorten
(Commander of the Royal Netherlands
Indies Army) and Tjarda van
Starkenborgh Stachouwer (GovernorGeneral of the Netherlands East
Indies) are drawn realistically. The
artistic excellence of KOISO is clear in
these portraits.
After returning to Japan, he
finished drawing the meeting scene of
the Dutch troops and the surrender at
Karijati airport on the island of Java.
This painting, Meeting at Karijati, Java
(on indefinite loan to The National
Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo) is
famous and spectacular. This huge
painting is representative of his war
paintings. First of all, this painting has
excellent composition, an orderly
atmosphere dominates the picture. In
this scene many people are gathered,
proper perspective has been used
most effectively by KOISO. Second, the
open doors at the front intentionally
creat a theatrical effect. Meanwhile,
the reporters on the right side were
the newspaper correspondents.
Through recent research, it was
discoverd KOISO was referring to the
Mainichi Shimbun news photographs.
KOISO, who wasn’t at the meeting,
The realism of this
painting is wonderful
and his realistic
brushwork will remain in
the history of Japanese
modern art.
painted this monumental war record
picture based on his drawings and
news photos. The realism of this
painting is wonderful and his realistic
brushwork will remain in the history of
Japanese modern art.
However, the quality of KOISO’s
wartime art went down after this work.
Because of the severe war situation,
production multiplied and adequate
preparation for artists became
impossible. Of course, this adverse
condition was not limited to him, but
KOISO, who had a strong commitment
to realism, was especially damaged.
After that, he only went once to Burma
and Thailand, therefore, the other war
record paintings were painted without
going to actual spots and sketching
officers and soldiers directly. Such
poor working conditions robbed him of
his excellent realism, which annoyed
him greatly. This irritation lead to his
notable letter criticizing war record
paintings.
OISO Ryohei , Meeting at Karijati, Java
Articles
YOSHIOKA Kenji, MIYAMOTO Saburo,
TSURUTA Goro, and other Japanese
painters’ war pictures
YOSHIOKA Kenji (1906–90) was
with KOISO Ryohei most of the trip. He
was a Japanese-style painter unlike
Western-style painters. Usually,
Japanese traditional painting was not
suitable for realistic representation,
but YOSHIOKA had a superior
descriptive power. He did in-depth
investigations into the Dutch military
armored vehicles and weapons and he
drew many sketches. One of them is
shown as a picture panel in the
exhibition at Museum Bronbeek. After
such efforts, he completed Stillness
after Bombing west of Karijati Airfield,
Java (on indefinite loan to The National
Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo) that
has a realism equal to the westenstyle painter’s works.
MIYAMOTO Saburo is, alongside
FOUIJITA and KOISO, a very important
Japanese war artist and they are, in
my opinion, the big three. FOUJITA,
who stood at the top did not draw any
pictures about the Netherlands East
Indies. Therefore, at this point,
MIYAMOTO and KOISO are the top two.
In response to the request of the Navy,
MIYAMOTO went to Celebes,
Indonesia. The theme imposed on him
was the occupation of the oil refinery
by paratroops. After a number of
trials, he painted Surprise Attack on
Naval Paratroopers at Menado (on
indefinite loan to The National
Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo), one of
his masterpieces, which is about three
metres long. The composition of this
work is magnificent and he has put
red flowers next to the corpse of the
Dutch soldier. It should be noted that
the mental state of these wartime
painters are not well known.
TSURUTA Goro (1890–1969), who
became famous for his war paintings,
went to Sumatra. In response to a
request from the Army, he also
painted the activities of parachute
troops in his large-scale Japanese
Paratroopers Descending on
Palembang (on indefinite loan to The
National Museum of Modern Art,
Tokyo). This picture has a vivid blue
sky which was rare at that time.
However, the gestures of the
paratroopers are a bit awkward even
though he also drew many sketches.
There is a struggle to represent
realism here. In addition, KAWABATA
Minoru (1911–2001) drew The Borneo
Campaign (on indefinite loan to The
National Museum of Modern Art,
Tokyo), and ARIOKA Ichiro (1900–66)
YOSHIOKA Kenji《Stillness after Bombing
at west of Karijati Airfield, Java》
TSURUTA Goro Japanese Paratroops
Descending on Palembang
drew Sea Battle of Java (on indefinite
loan to The National Museum of
Modern Art, Tokyo). They met with
public approval at the Greater East
Asia War Art Exhibition (Daitoa-SensoBijutsuten) in 1942 and 1943. However,
considering things from a post-war
point of view, it was a tragedy that they
reached their peak as painters during
World War II.
Articles
Until now, many war paintings
have been missing. Some of them may
have been burned in air raids while
others were possibly hidden. The
clarification of these details and reevaluation of Japanese war pictures
are expected. Because the subject
matter doesn’t exceed the splendor
and brilliance of excellent art. Of
course, this evaluation of art history is
different from praise of Japanese
aggressive war. Needless to say, in
order to promote the research and the
study of art history, mutual
understanding between Japan and the
former belligerent countries are very
important. At this point, the efforts of
the staff at Museum Bronbeek and
other collaborators (Drs. Pauljac
Verhoeven, Mrs. Dr. K. Maekawa, Drs.
H. van den Akker and Drs. M.J.
Lohnstein) are certainly worthy of
admiration, even if this exhibition
simply looks back on the history with
Japanese war record pictures.
Until now, many war
paintings have been
missing. Some of them
may have been burned
in air raids while others
were possibly hidden
ARIOKA Ichiro Sea Battle of Java
Information:
Museum Bronbeek
Velperweg 147
6824 MB Arnhem, The Netherlands
Articles
An AngloPortuguese souvenir
Ruth Rhynas Brown
T
he Museu Historico Nacional of
Brazil in Rio da Janeiro has a fine
collection of historic artillery, displayed
in a very picturesque courtyard in the
heart of the building. Among the
interesting pieces is an intriguing
bronze gun, cast in London for
Portuguese service. It is a 24-pounder
of 5½ feet in length, weighing 11
hundredweight 3 quarters and 14
pounds, 1330 pounds in all. It follows
the general pattern of contemporary
English guns with the elevating screw
under the cascable. It has the arms of
the Kingdom of Portugal in a rather
rococo surround on the reinforce,
elaborately fishy dolphins with long
tails and the arms of the Marquis of
Pombal as Count of Oeiras on the
chase. It has the inscription R.GILPIN
FECIT.1766 along the basering, with
W.WHITTINGTON stamped underneath.
Portugal has a long tradition of
gunfounding, both in the homelands,
centred round the Lisbon, and its
overseas territories in Asia, Africa and
Brazil. There are several other
cannons in the Museum which were
cast in the Lisbon arsenal by
Bartolomeu Da Costa in the 1760s.
However, by the 18th century, Portugal
began looking abroad to fulfil all its
demands for bronze artillery. The
Museum in Rio has a number of such
guns, including three beautiful
specimens by the Genoese gunfounder
Rocca and a pair of guns cast in Dutch
foundries. The gunfounders were
badly affected by the great earthquake
of 1755 which devastated Lisbon and
its buildings and institutions. Attempts
were made to reinvigorate Portugal’s
gunfounding industry with new
technologies and personnel. Charles
Dumouriez, a French officer sent on a
diplomatic mission to the Portuguese
court, commented unflatteringly on
the state of the artillery, describing the
cannon as ‘ill made and clumsy’. He
then went on to describe how ‘two
excellent founders, brought up under
the famous Maritz’ were engaged ;
‘but the prevailing prejudice against
foreigners has got the better of actual
want, and, in consequence of ill
treatment, they have been obliged to
desert from the service.’ He went on to
describe the state of the artillery train:
‘There are no field pieces, nor any
small cannon, to accompany the
infantry; which would be of the
greatest use in such a country as
Portugal, where there ls a post at
every step’. He also noted that two of
the three commanding officers were
British (Dumouriez 1797: 106).
In this period, the prime minister
of Portugal was the Count of Oeiras ,
later Marquis of Pombal. As a young
man he had been the envoy to the
Court of St James in London and this
same position was, in 1766, held by
another member of the de Mello
family. Portugal and England had long
been allies, as recently as during the
Seven Years War between 1756 and
1763. In addition to such military ties,
the two countries had long trading
links as well. A complete train of
artillery – bronze guns, howitzers and
mortars, with their carriages and
ammunition – were ordered in
England from the Southwark
gunfounder, Richard Gilpin.
In the mid-1760s there were only
two active gunfounders of bronze
ordnance in England. Andrew Schalch
in Woolwich was refusing to co-operate
with the Ordnance Board, leaving just
William Bowen and Richard Gilpin.
Richard Gilpin of Stoney Street,
Southwark, had supplied brass guns,
mortars and howitzers to the Board of
Ordnance and the East India Company
since 1751. Within a few years he
would also cast prestigious guns for
the Ordnance intended for gifts for the
Bey of Morocco, and the young Prince
of Wales (Brown 2002; 2004; 2010).
Many of his guns have survived and
can be found in collections all round
the world.
The guns for Portugal were cast
through 1765 and 1766. Although they
were not an official gift from the
British government, the Board of
Ordnance gave them some help and
assistance, such as allowing them to
be proofed at Woolwich: ‘By the
Surveyor General Ordered that the
Brass ordnance Cast by Mr Gilpin for
the King of Portugal be proved at
Woolwich on Tuesday next, and that
the Proof Masters do attend , and all
the Persons concerned have Notice’
(WO 47/66, 70v ;WO 51/232, 104r; WO
51/232, 114v-5r). As well as the guns,
the shot and shells provided by
Stephen Remnant were proofed at the
Royal Laboratory in Woolwich (WO
47/67, 131r).
In January 1766, De Mello, the
Portuguese envoy, asked permission
Articles
Portugal has a long
tradition of gunfounding,
both in the homelands,
centred round the
Lisbon, and its overseas
territories in Asia, Africa
and Brazil.
for carriages to be provided for brass
guns, howitzers and mortar beds and
paid from Ordnance funds. Thomas
Hartwell the Ordnance modeller went
to visit the carpenter and made some
comments in March. He surveyed the
carriages and mortar beds being
made by Thomas Peace – ‘timber for
the most part good, but some timber
condemned for defects. Feels that
Peace’s men not up to the more
difficult pieces’ – fixing the howitzers
to their carriages, and suggested a
carpenter and a smith from the Tower
be sent, to be charged to the
Portuguese. He was also concerned
that the mortar beds should not be
finished till the wood became
‘something dryer, otherwise the
Timber will shrink from the woodwork,
and become loose’. It was agreed that
the guns and mortars would be taken
to the Tower for fitting (WO 47/67,
149v, 150r).
Have got this arranged, De Mello
then asked that the, ‘Arms of Portugal
may be engraved upon the guns in the
same manner as on those for His
Majesty which he will pay for’. This
was also agreed and the arms can be
seen today and are very nicely
modelled and chastened indeed.
The Comptroller of the Royal
Laboratory still had some questions.
He needed to know whether the shells
and shot were to be packed in boxes
and the tin cases to be filled with shot
first before packing (WO 47/67, 170v1r). In March 1766 the Portuguese
envoy replied that he ‘desires the tin
cases filled with their shot and fixed to
their wooden bottoms, but to have no
Articles
flannel cartridges either spare or filled
to accompany them. Also that the Tin
Cases filled and fixed to their wooden
bottoms may be packed upon the
same manner as they are for the
service of His Britannic Majesty but
the shot and shells need not be
packed in boxes’ (WO 47/67, 175v).
Finally, in September, the guns
with their nicely engraved arms, their
carriages, and shot were ready to set
off on their journey.
Why would Portugal need such an
artillery train? In addition in the course
of the worldwide Seven Years War,
Spain had taken advantage of the
international turmoil to invade
Portugal, capturing Almeida in 1762.
In 1766 the Portuguese sent out a
military expedition to help establish
control of the mines in the Rio Negro
area of Brazil. The gun may have been
out in connection with this or may
have gone out later when the
Portuguese royal family went into
exiled in Brazil in 1807. No other
examples from the artillery train seem
to have survived; perhaps they are
sitting unrecognized. One final
mystery is the identity of W.
Whittington whose name is stamped
on the underneath of the gun. The
likeliest contender is William
Whittington whitesmith of Wapping
who may have arranged the shipping
of the train.
Bibliography
Brown R R 2002 ‘Protecting Gibraltar:
George III’s presents to the Emperor of
Morocco’. Journal of the Ordnance
Society 14: 65–72.
Brown R R 2004 ‘Taming the Tigers:
an East India Company gun from
Museum Bronbeek, Arnhem. Journal
of the Ordnance Society 16.
Brown R R 2010 ‘”For the instruction
and amusement”: guns for George,
Prince of Wales’. ICOMAM Magazine 4:
‘http://www.klmmra.be/icomam/icomam/magazine/iss
ue04.pdf
Dumouriez Charles François du
Périer 1797 Account of Portugal, as it
Appeared in 1766. London
Articles
Gunpowder making
in Malta
Robert D Smith
O
n a visit to the Palace Armoury in
Malta some years ago I had the
opportunity to visit one of the many
small gunpowder-making factories on
the island. These small factories make
the gunpowder from which the
fireworks are made that are such a
feature of the island throughout the
summer months. The saltpetre and
sulphur are bought in but the charcoal
was made on site from vine wood.
Above: The entrance to the site.
Below: The site.
Articles
Above: The saltpetre is purchased ready,
made as is the sulphur.
Above: Michael Stroud and the gunpowder
maker.
Below: The small mill containing the
wheel that grinds the powder.
Below: The mill wheel.
The ingredients are mixed and ground
up by a vertical wheel in a small mill
before being wetted and forced
through a sieve to make corned
powder. Not long after my visit \i
learned that this small factory had
succumbed to the usual fate of
gunpowder factories and had been
destroyed by an explosion – luckily noone was hurt. This small-scale
manufacture must have been very
similar to gunpowder mills of the preindustrial period in Europe.
Articles
Above: A selection of sieves.
Above: The finely ground powder is wetted
and made into corns..
Above: A sieve through which the wetted
powder is pushed to form small corns.
This small-scale
manufacture must have
been very similar to
gunpowder mills of the
pre-industrial period in
Europe.
Above: The finished powder.

issue 10, April 2013

Transcription

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