Midget submarine attack on the 'Tirpitz', 22 September 1943

As an official war artist to the Admiralty during the Second World War, Eurich painted the war effort at home, epic maritime engagements, and stories of survival at sea. Although he did not witness action himself, he received confidential intelligence from the Ministry of Information. Living near Southampton, he was close to the centre of naval operations, studied the ships in harbour, and interviewed men involved in the conflict. Eurich’s war paintings were at once works of imagination and historical records: his distinctive vision of the sea merged with thoroughly researched depictions of the events. 'Tirpitz' and the 'Bismarck' were the largest German battleships and a serious threat to the Royal Navy. In 1943, while stationed in Norway, the 'Tirpitz' was damaged by British midget submarines and put out of action for months. The scene is shown both from above and below the surface, presumably the viewpoint of a submarine. Underwater mines, resembling jellyfish, are likened to the sea creature in the foreground. Eurich gives an equally uncanny feel to the snowy landscape above.

Object number: BHC0684
Date: 1944
Artist: Richard Ernst Eurich
Dimensions: 406 mm x 1067 mm