Lot 262: PROPAGANDA POSTER WWI LA GRANDE GUERRE ENGLISH HEROES BASSEE BENITO

Original vintage WWI propaganda poster: La Grande Guerre - Les Anglais à La Bassée… L'Heroisme de nos Allies (Text translates as: The Great War - The English at La Bassée - The heroism of our Allies). Woodcut print with hand colouring through stencils by Eduardo Garcia Benito (1891-1981) featuring a view of the English soldiers on the battlefield at La Basse-Givenchy, fighting against the Germans. The town of La Bassée, about 25km west of Lille, had been taken by Germany back in October. Control of nearby Givenchy was regained from Germany by the British at the end of December, at a cost of 6,000 lives (4,000 from the British side). Germany renewed counter efforts in January. On 25 January the Germans began to shell Béthune and pressed forward. Fighting lasted several days but La Bassée remained in Germany's possession. The town of Givenchy-lès-la-Bassée was completely destroyed in the fighting. There is a memorial in the village for the 55th (West Lancashire) Infantry Division, commemorating their courage. Print no. 44 from the 2nd series La Grande Guerre. Published by Tolmer & Co. Eduardo Benito was a Spanish fashion illustrator and painter, noted for his Vogue covers of the 1920s and 1930s. He studied at the Mignon studio, and later trained under Daniel Vierge. In 1912 he moved to Paris, he later spent 15 years painting Vogue covers.[1] Among Benito's subjects as a portrait painter were Alfonso XIII of Spain, Paul Poiret, and the Chinese Royal family. Also in 1912, he won a scholarship to study at L’École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. Good condition, minor tears, creases and foxing in margins. Country: France, year of printing: 1915, designer: Eduardo Garcia Benito, size (cm): 33x40 (Horizontal)