Halifax Attack by Paul Nash, watercolour and chalk on paper

This is one of a number of watercolours Paul Nash produced when commissioned through the War Artists’ Advisory Committee as the Air Ministry’s Official War Artist from March to December 1940.

Nash made this work in the last month of his contract, shortly before it was terminated by Air Commodore Harald Peake, who disliked his imaginative approach to representing aircraft. Although Nash did not fly with the RAF, and therefore did not witness Halifax bombers from an aerial perspective, he would have seen the newly introduced aircraft on airfield visits or in the many aviation periodicals he consulted for his research. Purchased in 1974. Artist copyright: expired / RAF Museum