Captain Robert Marshall (Dr Robert Marshall, Medical Officer)
Date made: c.1916
Artist: von Kamptz, Fritz
Description: The impact of internment on the people of the Isle of Man during the First World War cannot be overstated. Many local people were involved in the guarding and the administration of the camps at Douglas and Knockaloe. Dr Robert Marshall was a case in point; he was a GP in Douglas before the First World War, but in 1914 was appointed medical officer for Douglas Camp. A highly capable man, he was soon involved in all aspects of camp administration. This portrait of Marshall, in the uniform of the Royal Army Medical Corps, was painted by an interned artist, Fritz von Kamptz.
Background:
During the First World War (1914-1918) the Isle of Man was used as an internment base for civilian ‘enemy aliens’. They were held in two camps, a requisitioned holiday camp in Douglas and a purpose built camp located at Knockaloe near Peel on the west coast of the Island. These held at their peaks over 4,000 and 23,000 men in some cases for nearly five years between opening in 1914 and final closure in 1919.
Measurements: artwork: 67 cm x 56 cm
Materials: Oil on board
Object name: painting
Collection: Art Collection
ID number: 1999-0073
Subject tags : #WW1INTERNMENTMUSEUMCOLLECTIONS #mm100artcollection