Under London 41

This drawing by the artist Edmond Kapp depicts Londoners sleeping underground during the Blitz which devastated the city. Two Jewish men are shown wrapped in blankets, with only their faces visible. Lying on deckchairs, they sleep in cramped conditions next to other inhabitants of the shelter.

Between September 1940 and May 1941, German bombs fell relentlessly on the capital and caused mass-devastation to London and its inhabitants. The City and the East End were particularly affected: in Stepney, East London, more than 10,000 homes were destroyed or severely damaged. Londoners sought refuge underground where special shelters were erected to provide protection. Tube stations were adapted so that people could sleep there during attacks, which mostly occurred at night. In Kapp's ink drawing, men can be seen under a brewery in Whitechapel in the East End.

Kapp, a London-born painter and draughtsman, was an Offical War Artist between 1940 and 1941. During the Blitz, he worked on a series of drawings depicting 'Life under London'. Kapp was known for his portraits and caricatures, which were published in magazines and periodicals early in his career, as well as for his work as a War Artist. A retrospective exhibition of his paintings and drawings was held at Whitechapel Art Gallery in 1961.