On September 1st, 1939 German forces, under the control of Adolf Hitler, invaded the Polish capital, Warsaw. Causing the beginning of World War II (Britain and France declared war on Germany on September 3, 1939). The night before (August 31st, 1939), German troops disguised as Polish soldiers in order to make it appear as if Poland was making an aggression against Germany. The next morning, German forces sent about 1.5 million troops from the north, south, and west borders supported by air raids targeting the Polish capital. The Polish army had 1.3 million troops and could not resist the German forces because they were much better supplied and trained. Germany's weapons were more mechanized and their troops were more prepared since they had been in previous wars recently (World War I just 25 years before). 5 days later, Germany forced the Polish army to retreat and they gained complete control of Poland. The country evacuated, giving Germany the ability to regain lost territory and simultaneously acquire control over their East neighboring country. Soon after, the Nazi ideology started to spread across Europe. The tragedy of World War II is reflected in Ithel Colquhoun’s art where she explores consciousness and subconsciousness of the United Kingdom during the war. 

Lee, Timothy B. “75 Years Ago, Hitler Invaded Poland. Here's How It Happened.” Vox, Vox, 1 Sept. 2014, https://www.vox.com/2014/9/1/6084029/hitlers-invasion-of-poland-explained.

1st September 1939: Nazi Germany Invades ... - Youtube.com. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyfJwJkqQMU.

Nazi Germany invasion of Poland,  the Chillan Earthquake, and Ithel Colquhoun’s involvement in the surrealism movement all happened the same year. These are all significant events that occurred in 1939, the same year Ithell Colquhoun painted Gouffres Amers which translates in English as “Bitter Chasms”: a dark cleft in the surface of the earth. The skeleton in the image represents the inner thoughts of anyone who survived through this catastrophic year. The skeleton rests on a rough surface filled with emptiness and torment. She uses dark shades of colors to portray the skeleton’s feelings of loneliness and alienation. Inside the skeleton Cloquhoun painted blooming flowers and vivid colors which foreshadows that regardless of all the devastating events that occurred this year she still has hope in humankind and nature. The political, environmental, and human impact of the events prior mentioned match the deterioration depicted in Gouffres Amers.