A range-finder painting, sometimes called range-finding painting,[1] is a large landscape painting produced as a training device to help gunners improve their accuracy. Historically, the best-documented use of such paintings was in the United States during World War I.
Historyedit
During World War I, some military gunnery training was carried out indoors.[2] While it is relatively simple to train gunners in range-finding (that is, estimating the correct distance for their shots) outdoors, it is difficult to train them in long-range gunnery indoors.[2] To solve this problem, the British[1] and U.S. militaries tested the use of large landscape paintings showing distant sites for range-finding and target-sighting in indoor gun ranges.[2] These so-called range-finder paintings proved so successful that a program was organized in the United States to produce them in larger numbers.[2] They were also used to teach soldiers how to draw military maps in the field and how to identify points of military importance such as zones of good cover.[2]
In 1918, the Salmagundi Club in New York spearheaded the effort to produce range-finder paintings for the U.S. military, providing canvas and painting materials.[2] The program resulted in dozens of landscape paintings of various French and Belgian sites that were roughly 50 by 70 inches (1.3 m × 1.8 m).[3][4] Most showed towns and villages in the near or middle distance, along with other militarily important features such as roads, bridges, canals, fields, forests, and hills.[2]
The painter Ernest L. Blumenschein helped to draft and organize artists across the United States for this effort, especially in his home town of Taos, New Mexico, and nearby Santa Fe.[3][4] In Taos alone, 15 such range-finder paintings of landscapes in France were produced in 1918.[3] Some of these were sent to Camp Cody in southern New Mexico and to Camp Funston in Kansas.[2]
^ abWalter, Paul Alfred Francis, and Lansing Barlett Bloom. "New Mexico in the Great War", part VII. New Mexico Historical Review 1:4 (October 1926), p. 418.
^ abcdefghiWalter, Paul A.F. "Art in War Service". Art and Archaeology 7 (January—December 1918), pp. 395–403, 409.
^ abcHassrick, Peter H., Elizabeth J. Cunningham, and Ernest Leonard Blumenschein. In Contemporary Rhythm: The Art of Ernest L. Blumenschein, p. 113. University of Oklahoma Press, 2008.
^ abcLarson, Robert W., and Carole B. Larson. Ernest L. Blumenschein: The Life of an American Artist. University of Oklahoma Press, 2013.
April 11, 2024
range, finder, painting, range, finder, painting, sometimes, called, range, finding, painting, large, landscape, painting, produced, training, device, help, gunners, improve, their, accuracy, historically, best, documented, such, paintings, united, states, dur. A range finder painting sometimes called range finding painting 1 is a large landscape painting produced as a training device to help gunners improve their accuracy Historically the best documented use of such paintings was in the United States during World War I History editDuring World War I some military gunnery training was carried out indoors 2 While it is relatively simple to train gunners in range finding that is estimating the correct distance for their shots outdoors it is difficult to train them in long range gunnery indoors 2 To solve this problem the British 1 and U S militaries tested the use of large landscape paintings showing distant sites for range finding and target sighting in indoor gun ranges 2 These so called range finder paintings proved so successful that a program was organized in the United States to produce them in larger numbers 2 They were also used to teach soldiers how to draw military maps in the field and how to identify points of military importance such as zones of good cover 2 In 1918 the Salmagundi Club in New York spearheaded the effort to produce range finder paintings for the U S military providing canvas and painting materials 2 The program resulted in dozens of landscape paintings of various French and Belgian sites that were roughly 50 by 70 inches 1 3 m 1 8 m 3 4 Most showed towns and villages in the near or middle distance along with other militarily important features such as roads bridges canals fields forests and hills 2 The painter Ernest L Blumenschein helped to draft and organize artists across the United States for this effort especially in his home town of Taos New Mexico and nearby Santa Fe 3 4 In Taos alone 15 such range finder paintings of landscapes in France were produced in 1918 3 Some of these were sent to Camp Cody in southern New Mexico and to Camp Funston in Kansas 2 Artists who participated besides Blumenschein included Gustave Baumann O E Berninghaus Harriet Blackstone Paul Burlin Ethel Coe E Irving Couse W Herbert Dunton Leon Gaspard Burt Harwood Lee Hersch J T Hunter Sheldon Parsons Bert Geer Phillips J H Sharp Walter Ufer Cordelia Wilson and Jay Young Hunter 2 4 References edit a b Walter Paul Alfred Francis and Lansing Barlett Bloom New Mexico in the Great War part VII New Mexico Historical Review 1 4 October 1926 p 418 a b c d e f g h i Walter Paul A F Art in War Service Art and Archaeology 7 January December 1918 pp 395 403 409 a b c Hassrick Peter H Elizabeth J Cunningham and Ernest Leonard Blumenschein In Contemporary Rhythm The Art of Ernest L Blumenschein p 113 University of Oklahoma Press 2008 a b c Larson Robert W and Carole B Larson Ernest L Blumenschein The Life of an American Artist University of Oklahoma Press 2013 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Range finder painting amp oldid 1144887432, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
