ARP Warden by Sydney Kendrick, oil on canvas

This portrait of a male Air Raid Precautions warden is an untypical subject of the painter Sydney Kendrick, better known for his portraits of society figures than for representing ordinary people in everyday situations.

Kendrick, who had trained in Paris, enjoyed a long and successful career as an Impressionist painter of statuesque female sitters represented in bucolic landscapes. He also made, to commission, portraits of notable male figures, including aristocrats and high-ranking public officers. However, the democratic subject of this painting underscores that citizens of all classes were brought together with a shared experience of the Blitz – everyone reliant on the vital work of civil defence personnel. Copyright: the artist's estate / RAF Museum.