The Watch on the Rhine, (The Last Phase), William Rothenstein, 1919

The watch on the rhine (the last phase) was originally exhibited in canada as part of the canadian war memorials exhibitionn in 1920. The painting's many symbolic elements represent germany's defeat and the triumph of the allied forces. In the foreground, a british howitzer faces out across the rhine. The painting's powerfull imagery is reinforced by the artist's emphasis on the enormous gun. A british sentry stands on guard to one side. The 1920 exhibition's accompanying catalogue noted that both the old germany and the new germany were denoted through the contrast of the ancient hills and the new factory chimney. William rothenstein (1872-1945), a british artist, was born in bradford, yorkshire. He worked as an official war artist for the canadian war memorials fund between 1917 and 1918, and served as an official artist to the canadian army of occupation in germany from 1919 to 1920. Object Type: painting. Genre: landscape painting. Date: 1919. Dimensions: height: 306.4 cm (10 ft) ; width: 364.5 cm (11.9 ft). Medium: oil on canvas. Collection: Canadian War Museum. William Rothenstein-The Watch on the Rhine (CWM 19710261-0601)