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A Romantic View of the Second World War, Most Likely Executed by a U.S. Navy Sailor.
Delightful hand-stitched map of the Pacific Theater in 1945 representing a neatly-executed piece exemplifying the "sailor art" style of the Second World War.
The map shows the relentless progress of the US army and navy westwards across the sea. Battleships and airplanes approach Japan, heading forth from Pearl Harbor and past Midway. Indigenous peoples are shown in the "Netherlands East Indies" while a temple is shown near Shanghai. The cartouche features two servicemen, one from the army and one from the navy, each holding a flag.
The piece is representative of the style of sailor art, although it stands out in its remarkable stitching. With extremely fine attention to detail, this piece would have almost certainly been stitched by a sailor or serviceman with ample time on their hands during a long trans-Pacific crossing. It is also possible that this was executed on the home front by a talented schoolchild imitating the predominant style of sailor art that was oftentimes sent home to families.
The appearance of Iwo Jima as Bonin Island suggests that the map predates the landings on the island.
Rarity
While painted or sketched sailor art from the Second World War remains somewhat common today, stitched sailor art from this period appears to be significantly rarer. This style predominated earlier, during the 19th century. This is the first Second World War example we have seen.
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