Wyndham Lewis

The Crowd

?exhibited 1915

© Wyndham Lewis and the estate of Mrs G A Wyndham Lewis by kind permission of the Wyndham Lewis Memorial Trust (a registered charity)

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In Tate Britain

Walk Through British Art: 1910

Free entry

Artist: Wyndham Lewis 1882–1957
Medium: Oil paint and graphite on canvas
Dimensions: Support: 2007 x 1537 mm
frame: 2195 x 1740 x 60 mm
Collection: Tate
Acquisition: Presented by the Friends of the Tate Gallery 1964
Reference: T00689

Display caption

Lewis was interested in the instinctive behaviour of people in crowds. Here, red stick-like figures appear in groups throughout the composition; two wield a red flag while a third waves a tricolour flag, perhaps indicating protest or the existence of opposing political groups. This painting was also shown under the title Revolution. The overall composition appears to show individuals being overshadowed and lost within the vast machinery and architecture of the city.

Gallery label, March 2018