Richard Eurich

Eurich was contacted by the WAAC in March 1940 and was subsequently commissioned to make two pictures for £50, of Admiralty subjects to be suggested by Gleadowe. The subject of fishing fleets was proposed, and Eurich went to Whitby (LD 148, 208). He commented that it was "difficult to suggest anything different in their activities to those of peacetime" (16). When Eurich completed the second Whitby picture, he was voted an honorarium of £10 because of the "excellence" of the picture and the amount of time he spent on it (24). In the same letter, (16) he asked for the WAAC's support in painting "the epic subject I have been waiting for the Dunkirk episode " He went on to say "It seems to me that the traditional sea painting of Van de Velde and Turner should be carried on to enrich and record our heritage." Although Charles Cundall had already been commissioned to paint Dunkirk, Eurich was also commissioned, in June 1940, for £50. The picture (IWM:ART LD 2277) was ready in time to be exhibited at the National Gallery in August. In November 1940, ‘Air Raid over Portland' (IWM:ART LD 769) was commissioned; it was delivered in January 1941 and is described at (49). Eurich had also made another, larger Dunkirk picture, ‘Dunkirk Beaches', which was offered to the WAAC through the Redfern Gallery, but was purchased by Vincent Massey for the Canadian High Commission, before the WAAC's recommendation to purchase could be carried out. In February 1941, Eurich was appointed as a salaried artist for the Admiralty, although there were some problems over the transfer of Cundall from this post to the Air Ministry (62-3). A commissioned picture of Taranto was postponed because of financial difficulties. At (66), there is a description of the "Battleship" picture (probably ‘HMS Resolution Returning to Portsmouth', LD 1077, which was destroyed by enemy action in 1942 en route to an exhibition in South America). In (69), Eurich expresses his fears of being called up if "sacked" from his MoI job and "pushed into some job which would be a complete waste all round". At (74), there is a description of ‘Attack on a Convoy Seen from the Air' (IWM:ART LD 1326). (77-8) is an interesting letter in which Eurich discusses his picture of a Power Boat (LD 1726 or 1727) which, he has heard, the Committee considered "very dull". He also discusses cracks appearing in his works due to the quality of materials available. He professes to being "rather jittery" about the reception of his "rescue" picture (LD 1728), and of LD 2946 which "is not a painting which will make any direct appeal " He also refers to IWM:ART LD 2297, to LD 3010 on which he is currently working, and to ‘Trawler versus Heinkel' (LD 1328, which was also destroyed en route for South America). Descriptions of LD 1726, 1727 and 1728 are at (86-90). Eurich requested photographic source material to help with subjects which he had not seen at first hand, such as IWM:ART LD 2298 (91). He also comments on having been made an ARA (94). At this time he was working on a picture of Portsmouth being raided at night (probably LD 2296). In 1942, a sketch for ‘Dunkirk Beach' was offered to the committee by the Beaux Arts Gallery but was not pursued. Other papers at this time discuss titles for works, and requests for materials. At (116), Eurich gives descriptions of LD 3959 and IWM:ART LD 3958. At (120ff) he discusses his D-Day triptych (LD 5190) and its canvas requirements. However, the death of his father, and, shortly afterwards, his daughter, delayed this work, and Eurich was unsatisfied with the finished product: "terribly unfinished, deplorably badly painted and beastly in colour in short doesn't do what I want it to at all I seem to have tried to be too important" (132). The remainder of the file largely discusses reproduction requests and other enquiries.

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