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Italia Redenta

RICKETTS, Charles (1866 - 1931)

Date: 1917

Media: lithograph on paper

Acquired: 1919; Presented by Ministry of Information

Accession Number: NMW A 13161

Collection: The Great War: Britain's Efforts and Ideals

The heroic winged figure of Italy strikes the double-headed eagle of Austria-Hungary, while below the shackled figures are yet to realize their redemption. Italy was ‘redeemed’ when it joined the war in 1915 on the side of Britain, France and Russia having previously sided with Germany and Austria-Hungary.

Ricketts was born to an English father and French mother in Geneva, spending his childhood in France and Italy. In 1882 he came to England to study at the Lambeth School of Art where he became acquainted with Charles Shannon (another contributor to The Ideals). They founded and edited The Dial together from 1889-1897 and founded the Vale Press in 1896-1904. Rickets then turned to sculpture and painting, and was also involved in theatrical design.

This work forms part of the portfolio The Great War: Britain's Efforts and Ideals, a series of 66 lithographic prints commissioned by the Ministry of Information in 1917. The series provide a broad and fascinating representation of Britain’s war objectives, military activities and effort on the Home Front.

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