Lot 1596
ENGLISH SCHOOL
LORD KITCHENER SAYS .. ENLIST TO-DAY, 1915
Original poster, published by The Parliamentary Recruiting Committee, printed by David Allen & Sons Ltd
97 x 122cm.
* Field Marshall Herbert Horatio Kitchener was appointed Secretary of State for War at the outbreak of hostilities in 1914 and he set about organising a recruitment drive of volunteers for the British Army. Perhaps the most famous British image of the entire war came from Alfred Leete's characterization of Lord Kitchener and this highly realistic representation shows the military leader in uniform, calling on Britons to join up. This depiction was copied and emulated in numerous subsequent posters.
Although the designer of this poster is not known, the image of Kitchener is taken from a photograph by Alexander Bassano. The text was taken from a speech given by Kitchener at the Guildhall, July 9th 1915. The poster was issued in two sizes - 52 x 76 cms and this rarer one, which is nearly twice the standard size.
