Frederick Farrell

Frederick Arthur Farrell (2 November 1882 – 22 April 1935) was a British artist who served as the city of Glasgow's official war artist during World War One.[2][3] Glasgow was the only city to appoint an artist to such a position.[3]

Fred Farrell
Painting of women at work in a munitions factory
Born	Frederick Arthur Farrell 2 November 1882 Cowcaddens, Glasgow, Scotland
Died	22 April 1935(1935-04-22) (aged 52)[1] Largs, Ayrshire, Scotland
Occupation	Civil engineer Artist
Known for	War art

Farrell was born in 1882 to John Farrell and Margaret Lawson Farrell.[4] His father was a school board officer at the time of his birth and later curator at the Trades House in Glasgow.

Farrell trained as a civil engineer while apprenticed to his brother.[3] As an artist, he was self-taught,[2] and worked in watercolour, as well as making etchings.[3]

He was enlisted into the army as a sapper in June 1916, but was discharged six months later after developing a gastric ulcer.[3]

Following his appointment as a war artist, he went to Flanders, Belgium, in November 1917, and spent three weeks there, painting Highland Light Infantry battalions.[3] The next year he drew the 51st (Highland) Division in France.[3]

He died in 1935 of pneumonia.[4]

An exhibition of his work, the first since 1920,[3] Fred A. Farrell: Glasgow's War Artist, was held at The People's Palace, Glasgow in 2014.[3]