William Henry Dyson (3 September 1880 – 21 January 1938) was an Australian illustrator and political cartoonist. In 1931 he was regarded as "one of the world's foremost black and white artists", and in 1980, "Australia's greatest cartoonist".

Personal life

Cartoon of 1919 predication on what the Treaty of Versailles will do in 20 years by Will Dyson

Australian Official War Artists by Coates

Will Dyson was part of a literary family, with journalist and writer brother Edward 'Ted' Dyson (1865–1931), illustrator brother Ambrose Dyson (1876–1913), and three sisters also of artistic praise. His parents George and Jane came from England. Dyson was a boxer of some note in the 1900s. Artist Norman Lindsay was part of his social and professional circle and in 1909, Dyson, Lindsay, and Lindsay's illustrator sister Ruby, moved to London. In 1910 he married Ruby. (Will's sister Jean later married Norman and Ruby's brother Lionel.) She died as a result of the Spanish flu pandemic in 1919. He returned to Australia in 1925, but for the 'mediocrity' of Melbourne, he then went to

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, and then returned London. Dyson died suddenly but peacefully relaxed in an armchair on 21 January 1938, aged only 57 of heart failure. He was survived by their only child, daughter Betty (1911–1956), a noted artistic designer.

Works

Before moving from Australia to London, Dyson was a caricaturist for ''

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'' and occasionally for Melbourne's '' Herald'' newspaper, he drew with a 'cruel and biting' style. When he arrived in London Dyson went to work for the local ''

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''. This was a left-wing paper edited by Charles Lapworth with Francis Meynell as the production manager. They published Dyson's acidic cartoons. During World War I, Dyson became known for his war cartoons, with a satiric tone. English writer H. G. Wells (1866–1946) was part of his professional circle. He returned to Australia from 1925 to 1930, to the about-to-be-sold '' Melbourne Punch''. He later was the chief cartoonist for the ''Daily Herald'' in London.

Prominence

It was shortly after his wife's death in 1919 that he drew what was to become one of the most celebrated and widely reproduced of all cartoons, entitled 'Peace and Future Cannon Fodder', and astonishing in its uncanny foresight. Published in the British ''

'' on 17 May 1919 (p.3), it showed David Lloyd George, Vittorio Orlando and Georges Clemenceau (the Prime Ministers of Britain, Italy and France respectively), together with Woodrow Wilson, the President of the United States, emerging after a meeting to discuss the Treaty of Versailles. Clemenceau, who was identified by his nickname 'The Tiger' is saying to the others: 'Curious! I seem to hear a child weeping!'. And there, behind a pillar, is a child in tears; labelled '1940 Class'.

Australia's first war artist

He was appointed as a temporary and honorary Lieutenant in December 1916, and went to the

Western Front Western Front or West Front may refer to: Military frontiers *Western Front (World War I), a military frontier to the west of Germany *Western Front (World War II), a military frontier to the west of Germany *Western Front (Russian Empire), a majo ...

. File:5 December Memorandum 33772 (re Will Dyson).tif, Request
5 December 1916 File:10 December 1916 response to Memorandum 33772 (re Will Dyson).tif, Approval
10 December 1916 His "mission was to make characteristic drawings of life in the trenches", making him Australia's first-ever war artist; and the impact of his frontline experiences changed his cartooning direction from the militarists to the "sufferers". Dyson later engaged in a debate with General Sir John Monash about his drawing of Diggers: ::(Monash) I think artists like Will Dyson, Norman Lindsay, and others have failed to reproduce the typical 'Digger' face. They make him a gaunt, haggard man with harshness written on every facial line. They're wrong! ::(Dyson) Some bitter things have been said about the digger, but so far nothing so bitter as Sir John Monash's statement that, in the matter of looks, the digger is "mostly a sweet-faced, round-faced mamma's boy."

Legacy

Dyson's friend and colleague Charles Bean suggested that the

Australian War Memorial The Australian War Memorial is Australia's national memorial to the members of its armed forces and supporting organisations who have died or participated in wars involving the Commonwealth of Australia and some conflicts involving pe ...

should have a special Dyson gallery, so high was his respect for Dyson's work. In 2016, the Memorial held more than 270 of Dyson's works, but had none of them on display.Ross McMullin, "Our finest war artist is missing in action", ''The Age'', 25 April 2016, p. 19 File:King O'Malley.jpg, Caricature of politician King O'Malley by Dyson. File:Josiah Symon caricature.jpg, upCaricature by lawyer and politician Josiah Symon by Dyson (1930s).

Notes

References

*
Hunter, Claire (2020), "'I'll never draw a line except to show war as the filthy business it is", ''Australian War Memorial'', 28 April, 2020.
* Jensen, John (2004) Article: Dyson, William Henry ill seud. Emu(1880–1938), cartoonist and printmaker , '' Oxford Dictionary of National Biography''. * Lindesay, Vane (1981),
Dyson, William Henry (Will) (1880–1938)
, ''

Australian Dictionary of Biography The ''Australian Dictionary of Biography'' (ADB or AuDB) is a national co-operative enterprise founded and maintained by the Australian National University (ANU) to produce authoritative biographical articles on eminent people in Australia's ...

'', Volume 8, MUP, 1981, pp 396–398. Retrieved on 6 October 2008. * McMullin, Ross (2006), ''Will Dyson, Australia's Radical War Artist'', Scribe Publications, Melbourne, 2006.
Lieutenant William Henry Dyson, ''Australian War Memorial''.

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dyson, Will 1880 births 1938 deaths People from Ballarat Australian war artists Australian illustrators Australian people of English descent Australian satirists Cartoonists from Melbourne Lindsay family