War Damage: Moorgate Fire

Joseph Batò's crayon drawing captures the intensity of the action as firefighters scramble to hose down a blaze near Moorgate. The figure rushing in from the left emphasises the urgency of the situation.

Born in Hungary, Batò studied art in Paris under Henri Matisse. He arrived in London during the late 1930s as a refugee from the Nazis. In 1942, his wartime work was published in the book 'Defiant City: drawings of bombed London'.

After the war, Batò remained in London and worked in the film industry. He was production designer, costume designer and art director on several films including 'The Third Man' and 'The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp'.