Study for Reveille, 1929 (recto)

Spencer explained Reveille (National Trust, Sandham Memorial Chapel), 1929 (Bell 130i) to his brother-in-law Richard Carline in 1928 'Each man, as we always did, dresses under his own mosquito net. I shall try, but may not succeed so well to express the fact that though this is a Reveille scene, yet the idea is again, clearly the Resurrection. The men looking in the door of the tent are clearly doing nothing and are free from any hurry ... The picture is, as in the other [Dug-Out, (Bell 130g)], a mixture of real and spiritual fact, as the underlying intention is a great feeling of peace and happiness. (see R. Carline, Stanley Spencer at War, London, 1978, p.185).