Hall of Remembrance

The building was to be designed to accommodate a series of paintings based upon the dimensions of the large triptych, The Battle of San Romano by Paolo Uccello, one part of which is now in the National Gallery.

[1] The scheme was initiated by Lord Beaverbrook, the then Minister of Information and echoed the scale of a war art programme he had launched for the government of Canada.

[2][3] Although Holden's plans for the building have been lost, Muirhead Bone described the structure as a "kind of Pavilion", surrounded by a garden, with a main gallery leading to an oratory with a dedication to the "coming Brotherhood of Man for which we all pray.

[5] William Orpen was offered the commission for the Britain and its Italian allies picture but refused, as he did not want to leave the Western Front for a trip to Italy.

John Singer Sargent was tasked with depicting Anglo-American cooperation but failed to find an appropriate scene whilst visiting the Somme and instead presented the picture known as Gassed.