Long Bay
Item
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Title
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Long Bay
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Short summary / description
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<p>Depicts a drawing of a single man in a bare, solitary prison cell. Bereft, he sits leaning against one of the walls with his head bowed. Internmnet at Long Bay assembled a mix of Italians from various professions, many of whom offered skills to help occupy fellow internees. Professor Lamberto Yonna, who organised Italian classes in the camps, provided many Italians with their first opportunity to become literate. Despite being an Italian internee (i.e. not a POW) Lamberto Yonna was interned at POW camps at Long Bay, Liverpool and Orange in New South Wales and at Loveday in South Australia for 4 years. Most of his sketches made during his internment illustrate his lively sense of humour, humanity and lack of bitterness. This work, however, reveals something of the social isolation and lonliness experienced by internees and POWs. He was an accomplished artist, conducting art classes in the camp and painting back drops for theatrical productions staged by his fellow internees. One of the largest problems for Italian internees and POWs was limited communication with their families due to inadequate mail services to Italy. Long Bay prison and state reformatory was used to house POWs during the Second World War.</p>
<p>Sheet: 22.8 x 17.8 cm; image: 22.8 x 17.8 cm (https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C174355)</p>
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Subject
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Internment camps
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Creative Work type
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Drawings and paintings
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Material
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ink
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brush and wash
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crayon
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paper
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Date of creation
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November 6, 1940
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Copyright information / URL
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Lamberto Yonna, Long Bay (11 June 1940, pen and ink, brush and wash, crayon on paper, sheet: 22.8 x 17.8 cm; image: 22.8 x 17.8 cm), donated in 1973. Australian War Memorial ART27785
Yonna, Lamberto
