This new book by Julian Francis completes the monograph on war artists that I want to publish, the others being major books, or substantial part-books on Eric Ravilious, John & Paul Nash, Leslie Cole, Barnett Freedman, Edward Ardizzone, Tom Chadwick and Edward Bawden. Anthony Gross was arguably the most successful of them all, and produced over 8% of the paintings acquired by the War Artists’ Advisory Committee for the nation.

Gross travelled almost continuously for his country until 1945, through Britain, Europe, north Africa, the middle east, the Indian subcontinent and Burma. His paintings started with London, showing its suffering in the early days of the war, then military training in various settings, and he progressed to record military activity in a wide variety of worldwide settings. His gorgeous, fluid watercolours (and a few etchings) give us an emotional involvement (each one records human activity) as well as a unique and valuable record.

Produced with the full cooperation of Gross’s family, this is the first book to document the artist’s wartime achievements, and is one of the most significant books that I have had the pleasure of publishing.

There are 330 copies bound in quarter cloth and marbled paper, published in late 2022. The price is £218, with £10 postage inland.

For the time being, while stocks last, all copies ordered will be accompanied by a free copy of Today I Worked Well. The Picture Fell Off The Brush, the beautiful study of Leslie Cole’s war artistry by Malcolm Yorke.

To order this book, please email me at simon@fleecepress.com (the button below can be used if you have email set up on your device’s Mail app) or call me on 01226 792200.