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Rememberance

The statue of the soldier guarding Dartford Library is an imposing monument, prompting passers-by to remember and respect those men and women from the town who sacrificed their lives in two world wars. The path surrounding the plinth creates a natural geometric frame as you step back to face the library. Financed by Andrew Carnegie and designed by Thomas Tiffin, the library was opened in 1916. It was extended in 1937 and houses the Dartford Museum. The war memorial, with statue by George Frampton, was unveiled in May 1922.

In this picture, the little girl in the foreground holding her toy dog in one hand and a white poppy in the other signifies the First World War. The soldier she’s giving the poppy to represents the Second World War, with the now-familiar iconic red poppies at his feet. Essentially, she has to look upwards to meet the returning gaze of the soldier who is looking down at her. For this execution to work, James used a certain amount of creative license. Which is why the soldier is seen facing away from the library instead of his usual position facing the front.

In November 2016, Dartford Council purchased a print to present to civic visitors from Gravelines in Northern France who visited Dartford to attend the remembrance service as part of the twinning relationship that exists between the two towns. This print is also available on request without the ‘DARTFORD’ branding on the base.

THE PRINT

This signed print is one of a limited edition. It’s recorded on Hahnemühle stock via a large format mimeograph and generally referred to as Giclée prints of premium quality. The paper is white 100% a-cellulose with a distinct textured surface and the premium matt inkjet coating more than meets the highest industry standards vis-à-vis density, colour gamut, colour graduation and image sharpness, while preserving the extraordinary touch and feel of genuine art paper. The editions depicted on Iconic Reserve are not representative of scale and solely for the purpose of suggestive display.

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£175

Signed limited edition
1 of 250, 420mm x 597mm
Recorded on Hahnemühle
Dartford collection

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