First World War Nurses to be honoured with Exhibition
The Florence Nightingale Museum will mark the centenary of the First World War with a special exhibition honouring the inspirational work of nurses in war-torn France.
The Hospital in the Oatfield: The Art of Nursing in the First World War opens on March 13th 2014 and centres on a series of ten remarkable paintings by Victor Tardieu of the field hospital run by the Society beauty, Millicent, Duchess of Sutherland.
Nurses in the Great War experienced the true horrors of the battlefield at first hand, and we are delighted to tell the hidden story of these courageous women. – Natasha McEnroe, Director of the Florence Nightingale Museum
Never before displayed in public, the paintings capture a moment of tranquility and transformation amid the turmoil of the First World War. Funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, the exhibition explores the crucial role played by women in the battlefields of France and Belgium and shows the incredible innovation displayed by nurses under challenging and dangerous conditions.
We are all connected to the First World War, either through our own family history, the heritage of our local communities, or because of its long term impact on society and the world we live in today. The role of women across the country was forever changed after the war and during the Centenary their story will be told through fascinating exhibitions such as the one at The Florence Nightingale Museum.
Tardieu’s work provides a fascinating view into the activities of a field hospital, and these vivid, bright paintings, reminiscent of the French impressionists give an insight into the care administered by these brave women to their wounded French patients. – Diane Lees, Director-General of Imperial War Museum
The Hospital in the Oatfield: The Art of Nursing in the First World War from March 13th to the 26th October 2014 at The Florence Nightingale Museum, 2 Lambeth Palace Road, London SE1 7EW. Opening hours: Daily, 10am – 5pm.
