ELLIS SILAS (1885-1972) A portrait of a working man Oil on canvas Signed and dated 1914 lower left 94 x 72cm PROVENANCE: The Estate of the late Hylton Grimmer OTHER NOTES: In juxtaposing a fit, strong working man with the recruiting poster on the wall behind him, Silas here represents a prominent theme in the early stages of the First World War: the need for the Allies working men to become fighting men. Comparison with photographs of Silas suggests that this is a self-portrait. Silas, who is known to have been patriotic, joined the Australian Imperial Force in October 1914, the year this work was painted. If this is a self-portrait, it seems likely to be associated with that event. The poster depicted appears to be French (the word ‘patria – mostly commonly seen in this context in the phrase, ‘pro patria , ‘for one s country – being spelled here in French, ‘patrie ), suggesting that Silas, like many others, was moved to action by the fate of Belgium and France in August and September 1914. Some months later, Silas was amongst those who went ashore at Gallipoli early in the morning of 25 April, 1915, following which he became one of the very few artists to paint works depicting the Gallipoli campaign from first-hand experience.出处: The Estate of the late Hylton Grimmer