God bless dear Daddy who is fighting the Hun and send him Help

Sydney : Government of the Commonwealth of Australia, 1918. Printed by W. E. Smith Ltd, Sydney. Colour printed poster, 46.4 x 35.1 cm (printed image), central crease, some rubbing, handling marks, framed.

One of six rare separately issued colour posters commissioned by the Commonwealth Government as part of its recruitment campaign. These posters were issued in three sizes, a small version approximately 22 cm high, this medium size approximately 46 cm high, and a large version approximately 98 cm high.

In 1966, the artist Martin Sharp appropriated the image for a Vietnam War protest poster issued in Oz magazine.

In 2008 another example of this poster (the same size) sold at Lawson’s Auctions, Sydney, for $7,200 hammer (War Memorabilia, November 14, 2008, lot 31)

‘The full title reads ‘God bless dear Daddy who is fighting the Hun and send him Help’. The third of the series of six posters by Lindsay constituting the last nation-wide Australian recruiting campaign, 1918. Depicts a young girl kneeling in prayer near her mother asking for help for her father fighting against the Germans. Norman Lindsay (1879-1969) was a painter, draughtsman, illustrator, cartoonist, printmaker, writer and sculptor. He joined the Sydney ‘Bulletin’ magazine as a staff artist, 1901-09, 1910-23 and 1932-58. During the First World War he produced jingoistic cartoons and pro-conscription posters.’- Australian War Memorial https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/ARTV05469

Collections : 

National Gallery of Australia (this size)

National Library of Australia (this size)

Imperial War Museum, London (larger size)

Australian War Memorial (this size)

State Library of South Australia (this size)

State Library of Victoria (larger size)

Literature:

FULLERTON, Peter (editor). Norman Lindsay war cartoons, 1914-1918. Melbourne University Press, 1983, pp. [xiii], illustrated.

Provenance :

Norm Flayderman (antique dealer) USA, acquired 1980

private collection, Sydney