War art work is listed with �80k price tag

A PAINTING of a Staffordshire bomb store by the artist David Bomberg is up for sale with a guide price of between �80,000 and �120,000.

It has been listed by Bonhams, of New Bond Street, London, in their 20th Century British Art sale on March 9.

Bomb Store, Number 3, pictured above, was created in 1943 when Bomberg was sent to Fauld, near Uttoxeter, to document through art, the scene 90ft below ground in gypsum mines.

More than 10,000 tones of bombs were stored there in anticipation of future air raids on German cities.

A spokesman for Bonhams said: "Bomberg worked feverishly and when he ran out of canvas, he worked on greaseproof paper.

"Owing to censorship and secrecy, all his sketches had to be stored at the depot overnight and he could not discuss the project with anyone.

"The artist portrays the chamber and bombs in a way that the viewer is in no uncertain terms of its purpose to hold instruments of war that will be used to kill."

Bonhams listed the work in June 2010, but the piece failed to meet the reserve.

The piece has previously been exhibited at London's Belgrave Gallery.

Source: http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/32715/f/503368/s/12e81650/l/0L0Sthisisstaffordshire0O0Cnews0CWar0Eart0Ework0Elisted0E1630E80Ak0Eprice0Etag0Carticle0E32566650Edetail0Carticle0Bhtml/story01.htm

Motoring Craig Bellamy Russia South Korea Birmingham City Mark Zuckerberg