Joseph Dezitter’s Pictures of Bergues

During the First World War, Joseph Dezitter (1883-1957), a Flemish artist, was mobilised and participated in the Belgian campaign where he was seriously wounded in 1914. After recovering he joined the ambulance auxiliary services in Northern France. Travelling between military hospitals, he took the opportunity to paint the places he visited.

Molly Evans knew him personally. His name is in her address book and there is an envelope signed by J. Dezitter in Molly’s Nursing Scrapbook. At the time he lived at 5 Rue Carnot, Bergues.

Envelope addressed to Miss Evans, Queen Alexandra Hospital from J. Dezitter

Envelope addressed to Miss Evans, Queen Alexandra Hospital from J. Dezitter

“Échantillon dessin” on the envelope leaves us no doubt that Molly received at least one drawing (possibly the watercolour below) from the artist directly.

All 3 pictures by J. Dezitter in Molly’s collection are dated 1918.