A Balloon Site, Coventry facts for kids
Quick facts for kids A Balloon Site, Coventry |
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| Artist | Laura Knight |
| Year | 1943 |
| Medium | Oil on canvas |
| Dimensions | 102.5 cm × 127 cm (40.4 in × 50 in) |
| Location | Imperial War Museum |
A Balloon Site, Coventry is a famous oil painting created in 1942 by the British artist Laura Knight. It shows a group of people, mostly women, working together to launch a large barrage balloon. This scene takes place just outside Coventry, an important industrial city in the Midlands. Coventry was heavily bombed by Germany in November 1940 during The Blitz. More than 10,000 incendiary bombs were dropped on the city.
Laura Knight had painted another picture, In for Repairs, earlier in 1942. That painting showed members of the Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) fixing a damaged barrage balloon. The Air Ministry was very impressed with her work. They asked her to paint the WAAF in action again. The War Artists' Advisory Committee (WAAC) officially asked her to create A Balloon Site. She was paid 100 guineas for the painting. She worked on it in July and August 1942. A Balloon Site was shown at the 1943 Royal Academy Summer Exhibition. Another of her paintings, Ruby Loftus Screwing a Breech Ring, was also displayed there.
Why Were Barrage Balloons Needed?
From March 1939, barrage balloons helped protect Coventry. This city was a key target because it had many aircraft factories. These factories were located on the edge of the city.
Barrage balloons were filled with hydrogen gas. They could be placed in fixed spots or moved around. Steel cables attached them to the ground. These cables forced enemy bombers to fly higher than they wanted. Flying higher made their bombing less accurate. It also made the planes easier targets for ground-based anti-aircraft guns.
Even with this protection, Coventry was still attacked. On November 14, 1940, German planes dropped over 10,000 incendiary bombs on the city. From April 1941, women began operating these balloons. A team of fourteen women took over from the ten men who did the job before.
How the Painting Was Made
During the Second World War, the British government created the War Artists' Advisory Committee (WAAC). Sir Kenneth Clark, who was the director of the National Gallery, led this committee. Their goal was to find artists who could record the war at home and abroad.
Laura Knight was one of the artists asked to paint many times. She had even painted for the Canadian government during the First World War. By early 1942, she had completed four paintings for the WAAF. Her most recent one was In for Repairs. It showed members of the Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) fixing a damaged barrage balloon.
The Air Ministry was very impressed with this painting. They thought it would help with recruiting new members. In October 1941, Laura Knight received a request. Mr. Dickey, the Secretary of the WAAC, asked her to paint WAAF members. They were based at RAF Wythall, which was the main base for RAF Balloon Command in the region. This base was about 6 miles from Birmingham. Laura Knight worked on A Balloon Site in July and August 1942. She received 100 guineas for her work.
A Balloon Site was shown at the 1943 Royal Academy Summer Exhibition. Her other new painting, Ruby Loftus Screwing a Breech Ring, was also displayed there. Both paintings were very well received. Today, A Balloon Site is kept at the Imperial War Museum.
What the Painting Shows
A Balloon Site is an oil painting on canvas. It measures 102.5 centimeters by 127 centimeters. The painting shows a barrage balloon being launched on the edge of Coventry. In the middle of the picture, you can see several damaged buildings. In the background, you can even see parts of Coventry that were ruined.
In the front of the painting, two groups of people are working to launch the balloon. The group closest to you has three women and one man. They are led by Jean Brydon, a female sergeant. Another group of workers is shown on the far side of the balloon.
Art historians like Teresa Grimes, Judith Collins, and Oriana Baddeley have said that A Balloon Site and In For Repairs are about activity. They show how people focus and get absorbed in their work when they are part of a group effort. This teamwork is a main part of how the paintings are put together.
