Portraits of War: The Crown Studios Project
In May 1918 the Mitchell Library Trustees embarked upon an ambitious project: to photograph NSW soldiers heading overseas to serve in World War I.
Officers of the Australian Imperial Force and Naval Forces were invited to the Crown Bromide Enlargement Company, the Crown Studios, in George Street Sydney to be photographed in person or their families sent photographs to be copied. However, due to a fire at Crown Studios in December 1918 the project was never completed.
From this project, the Library holds over 1600 touching portraits and 230 of these feature in Portraits of War: The Crown Studios Project.
View a list of portraits we hold.
View the photographs in the exhibition on the Library's Flickr.
On tour details
Dates: 18 April 2015 – 15 June 2017On display at the following libraries. Dates listed are subject to change. Please confirm with each library.
Venues
Warren, 18 – 30 April 2015
Nyngan, 9 – 21 May 2015
Broken Hill, 30 May – 11 June 2015
Gilgandra, 20 June – 2 July 2015
Parkes, 11 – 23 July 2015
Condobolin, 1 – 13 August 2015
Inverell, 22 August – 3 September 2015
Glen Innes, 12 – 24 September 2015
Casino, 3 – 15 October 2015
Grafton, 24 October – 26 November 2015
Grafton, 16 – 26 November 2015
Coffs Harbour, 5 – 17 December 2015
West Kempsey, 24 December 2015 – 14 January 2016
Toronto, 23 January – 4 February 2016
Maitland, 13 – 25 February 2016
Cessnock, 5 – 17 March 2016
Singleton, 25 March – 7 April 2016
Muswellbrook, 16 – 28 April 2016
Nowra, 7 – 19 May 2016
Bombala, 28 May – 9 June 2016
Griffith, 18 – 30 June 2016
Deniliquin, 9 – 21 July 2016
Corowa, 30 July – 11 August 2016
Tumbarumba, 20 August – 1 September 2016
Cootamundra, 10 – 22 September 2016
Temora, 1 -13 October 2016
West Wyalong, 22 October – 3 November 2016
Picton, 12 – 24 November 2016
Penrith, 3 – 15 December 2016
Blacktown, 23 December 2016 – 12 January 2017
Hornsby, 21 January – 2 February 2017
Mosman, 11 – 23 February 2017
Hurstville, 4 – 16 March 2017
Kogarah, 25 March – 6 April 2017
East Gardens, 14 April – 4 May 2017
Woollahra, 13 – 25 May 2017
Waverley, 3 – 15 June 2017