Colored pencil portrait of the wife and child of a US soldier created for him by a POW
Extent and Medium
overall: Height: 10.625 inches (26.988 cm) | Width: 8.625 inches (21.908 cm)
Creator(s)
- Robert E. Holland (Subject)
- Claire Holland (Subject)
- R. Bachmann (Artist)
Biographical History
Robert Edward Holland was born on May 4, 1922, in Norwell, Massachusetts, to Rena and James Holland. He married Claire Burns and they had a daughter. In 1943, Robert enlisted in the United States Army. He was assigned to the 20th Armored Division of the United States Army. The unit landed in France in February 1945 and at the end of the war on May 7 was near Salzburg, Austria. Some units participated in the liberation of Dachau concentration camp on April 29, 1945, while others continued on and captured Munich on April 30. Robert was stationed at Dachau prisoner of war camp in October and November 1945. Robert died in Chester, Vermont, on July 18, 1997, at the age of 75. Claire died in Strafford, New Hampshire, on March 4, 2005, at the age of 79.
Claire Burns was born on August 27, 1925. She married Robert Edward Holland and they had a daughter. In 1943, Robert enlisted in the United States Army. He was assigned to the 20th Armored Division of the United States Army. The war ended in May 1945, and in October and November 1945, Robert was stationed at Dachau priosoner of war camp in Germany. The ubnit was disbanded in 1946. Robert died in Chester, Vermont, on July 18, 1997, at the age of 75. Claire died in Strafford, New Hampshire, on March 4, 2005, at the age of 79.
Archival History
The drawing was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2004 by Claire Holland, the wife of Robert Holland.
Acquisition
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Collection, Gift of Claire Holland
Funding Note: The cataloging of this artifact has been supported by a grant from the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany.
Scope and Content
Portrait drawing created for 23 year old Robert Holland by a prisoner, R. Bachmann, in Dachau prisoner of war camp in November 1945. It is a colored pencil and watercolor drawing on a repurposed piece of cardboard depicting Robert's wife Claire and young daughter Sandy. Robert served in the 20th Armored Division of the United States Army. The unit arrived in Europe in February 1945 and was near Salzburg, Austria, when the war ender on May 7. Some division units participated in the liberation of Dachau concentration camp on April 29, while other units continued on to capture Munich on April 30. Dachau became an internment camp for captured German troops. Robert was stationed there in October and November 1945.
Conditions Governing Access
No restrictions on access
Conditions Governing Reproduction
No restrictions on use
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
Watercolor and colored pencil portrait drawing on light brown rectangular cardboard depicting a young woman in ¾ profile looking right, next to a young child facing front. The woman has shoulder length blond hair, large blue eyes, lips parted in a toothy smile, and a prominent jaw. She wears a pink garment with blue flowers. The child, shown from the waist up, has straight bangs and blonde hair that flips up, blue eyes, and slightly parted lips. Her white, short puffed sleeved garment has a scalloped collar. In her left hand, she holds a bouquet of blue, white, and yellow flowers. There are white pencil highlights on the hair, face, and clothing of both. Penciled in the bottom right is the artist signature and date. On the reverse is preprinted German fraktur text followed by dotted lines and a handwritten note added later.
reverse, lower left, handwritten cursive, blue ink : Portrait Painter / Done for Dad / in Germany / Claire and Sandy / P.W. Camp Dachau / Budapest
Corporate Bodies
- United States. Army. Armored Division, 20th
Subjects
- World War, 1939-1945--Prisoners and prisons, American.
- Prisoners of war as artists--Germany--Dachau.
- Soldiers--United States--Biography.
Genre
- Art
- Object