Charles Anthony ("Tony") Law's artist's box held essential supplies, including a palette (left), brushes (centre), and tubes of paints (centre and right).

The box also had grooves to hold the panels Law used for small sketches and studies for his finished paintings. By the outbreak of war in September 1939, Law was an up-and-coming painter who had already won prizes for his work. After joining the Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve, he was posted overseas for duty in British motor torpedo boats, and later commanded a Canadian flotilla of these craft. Law later maintained that his painting helped keep him sane when faced with the gruelling operations in motor torpedo boats.

Artist's Paint Box
CWM 19770621-001