Object Details
associated person
War Department
Townsend, Harry
artist
Townsend, Harry
Description
Charcoal sketch on white paper of American soldiers American soldiers huddled in a trench, presumably getting ready for battle and preparing for a gas attack. Some soldiers are wearing gas masks, while others peek over the trench walls. In the background at right there is an overturned tank behind a dead horse. There is barbed wire in the background on the left. Toxic gasses, such as chlorine and mustard gas, were used in World War I by enemy armies as part of chemical warfare. When gas was detected, an alarm was raised and soldiers would put on their gas masks to avoid injuries, such as chemical burns and blindness, or death.
Location
Currently not on view
Credit Line
War Department. Historical Branch of the General Staff
date made
1918
associated date
1917 - 1918
ID Number
AF.26115
catalog number
26115
accession number
64592
Object Name
Sketch
Physical Description
charcoal (overall production method/technique)
paper (overall material)
Measurements
overall: 17 1/4 in x 23 1/4 in; 43.815 cm x 59.055 cm
See more items in
Military and Society: Armed Forces History, Military
Military
Official Art from the American Expeditionary Forces in World War I
Art
Data Source
National Museum of American History
related event
World War I
Link to Original Record
Record ID
nmah_448123