The War Amps donates Mary Riter Hamilton battlefield paintings to Library and Archives Canada
OTTAWA, March 23, 2026 – Today, The War Amps announces the donation of two battlefield paintings by Canadian artist Mary Riter Hamilton to Library and Archives Canada (LAC), reuniting these additional works with the broader collection
personally donated by Hamilton 100 years ago.
“The War Amps has been connected to Mary Riter Hamilton’s work for more than a century,” says Merrill Loeppky, War Amps board member and Regional Representative for Manitoba, Hamilton’s home province. “Donating these paintings to Library and Archives
Canada helps ensure that this important chapter of Canadian history is preserved and shared for generations to come.”
After the First World War, The War Amps commissioned Hamilton to paint the battlefields of Europe, aiming to capture the devastation and destruction of war before restoration took place. In 1919, Hamilton travelled alone to France and Belgium,
and over the next three years, produced more than 300 paintings capturing the scarred landscape.
While Hamilton gifted some of her paintings directly to war veterans, many affiliated with The War Amps, she refused to sell her art. Instead, in 1926, she donated 227 paintings to the National Archives of Canada (now LAC) to be kept as a memorial
for the Canadians who fought and died in the First World War. “I painted them for the men, and of course they must have them,” she said, expressing her wish that the paintings remain accessible for the “benefit of war veterans, their families
and future generations.”
The reunification of these two additional paintings, Untitled and Devastated Ablain St. Nazaire, with LAC’s collection reflects The War Amps long-standing commitment to remembrance.
“On behalf of Library and Archives Canada, I extend my sincere gratitude to The War Amps for this generous donation of Mary Riter Hamilton’s artwork,” says Leslie Weir, Librarian and Archivist of Canada. “We are honoured to welcome these pieces
into our national collections, where they will be preserved alongside works donated a century ago. This remarkable contribution ensures that future generations of Canadians can continue to access the stories of courage and resilience of those
who served in the First World War.”
The paintings were carefully transferred from The War Amps national headquarters by LAC staff, ensuring that they remain preserved and accessible for research and public reference in their permanent collection.
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