Wednesday, May 14, 2025

Blowing Up Icebergs with Thermite 1926

Wilfred Barnes RCA

(b. Montreal, QC; 1882-1955)

Thermite Explosion, Newfoundland

1926

Oil on canvas 

Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador Collection, The Rooms 

In this painting, Wilfred Barnes turns his attention to a dramatic scene - the explosion of an iceberg off the coast of Newfoundland, triggered by thermite charges.Though small in scale, the subject matter is anything but minor. Barnes captured the tension between the breathtaking beauty of icebergs and the destructive forces needed to improve maritime safety.


No comments:

Post a Comment