Kiss Gallery

Goodbye Old Man - Soldier and dying horse during WWI

Goodbye Old Man is a striking image of a soldier bidding farewell to his fatally injured horse. Goodbye Old Man was commissioned by the Blue Cross in 1916 to raise money to help horses on active service.
The artist is Fortunino Matania and it is one of his most famous war-time illustrations. Fortunino Matania (1881 - 1963) was born in Naples.
During and after the war, his work adorned many a history book. During the 1st World War Matania mainly worked for the British magazine The Sphere as their star illustrator, usually producing one full page illustration or more per weekly issue.
He was also employed by the British government and commissioned by individual British regiments. He visited the front several times which allowed him to view wartime conditions at first hand and talk with soldiers about their experiences. From sketches and memory he could then finish a painting, often within a few days

© Mary Evans Picture Library

Royal wedding 1893 - Queen Victoria congratulates the bride

Princess May of Teck(later the Duchess of York, then Queen Mary)(1867-1953) receives congratulations from her husband's grandmother, Queen Victoria. Her congratualtions are especially poignant as the bride had previously been engaged to Albert Victor, another of Victoria's grandsons, but following his sudden death from pneumonia, May became engaged to George with Victoria's blessing. Date: 6th July 1893

© Illustrated London News Ltd/Mary Evans

Whirled Into Happiness by Harry Graham

Promotional postcard for Whirled Into Happiness by Harry Graham from Der Tanz ins Glueck by Robert Bodanzky & Bruno Hardt-Warden (Raimundtheater, Vienna, 23rd December 1920); music Robert Stolz. First produced at the Lyric Theatre, 18th May 1922. Touring to Theatre Royal, Nottingham, 9th April 1923. The theatre setting shown reflects the fact that the lady in the clinch is a music hall star. Date: 1923

© The Michael Diamond Collection / Mary Evans Picture Library