Frank Potter:
Self-portrait as an Auxiliary Fireman, c.1941
Framed (ref: 2604)

Oil on canvas

Tags: Frank Potter oil men Metropolitan topography war 1.PORTRAIT OF AN ARTIST Modern British Art at Mercers' Hall RELIGION World War II Paintings by British Artists

Provenance: Andrew Leslie, Leva Gallery, 1974; private collection.

Exhibited: WW2 - War Pictures by British Artists, Morley College London, 28 October -23 November 2016, cat 38.

Literature: Grant M.Waters, Dictionary of British Artists Working 1900-1950, Eastbourne Fine Art Publications, Eastbourne, 1976, vol. 2, illus. no. 70.

Llewellyn, Sacha, and Paul Liss. Portrait of an Artist. Liss Llewellyn, 2021, p.385.

WW2 - War Pictures by British Artists, Edited by Sacha Llewellyn & Paul Liss, July 2016, cat 38, page 76.

This painting shows the artist as an Auxiliary Fireman, his plastron-fronted tunic buttoning on the right side and his fireman's hatchet in a holder attached to his belt. Potter, who had served in WW1, (enlisting in 1916 at the age of 29), would have been too old to fight in WW2, but served on the home front as an Auxillary Fireman assisting in the clean-up of bomb damage to the capital.

A British Pathe film clip from WW2 shows that many of the Auxilary Firemen who protected St. Pauls had day-jobs in the City and afterwork would change into their firemen's uniforms in the Crypt of St Paul's Cathedral before working through the night.

http://www.britishpathe.com/video/guardians-of-st-pauls-aka-guardians-of-st-pauls/query/st+pauls+cathedral+crypt

Tethered barrage balloons - 1,100 of which were moored at 100-yard intervals around St Paul's - defended the city against dive-bombers, forcing them to fly higher and into the range of concentrated anti-aircraft fire. A British Pathe film clip from WW2 shows that many of the Auxiliary Firemen who protected St. Pauls had day-jobs in the City and after work would change into their fireman's uniforms in the Crypt of St Paul's Cathedral before working through the night.

Potter was one of the founder members of the Decorative Art Group in the summer of 1916 with Ethelbert White, C.R.W.Nevinson, and Carlo Norway. As a printmaker, Potter produced views of London landmarks and his dry points bear comparison to those of C.R.W. Nevinson

We are grateful to Michael Campbell, Stuart Southall, Grant Waters and Andrew Cormack for assistance.