Hoover Institution Library & Archives (Stanford, CA) — Beginning Fall 2024, a visit to Hoover Tower will feature a special journey through the Pacific theater of World War II via the newest exhibition presented by the Hoover Institution Library & Archives.
The Battalion Artist: A Sailor’s Journey Through the South Seas traces the wartime experiences of Natale (Nat) Bellantoni, a gifted artist and member of the United States Navy “Seabees”—the tireless construction battalions that were formed after the attack on Pearl Harbor and played a vital role in America’s victory in the Pacific theater.
The Battalion Artist spotlights the Natale Bellantoni papers, which contain watercolor paintings, sketchbooks, photographs, letters, and other wartime ephemera, along with posters and other materials from Hoover’s renowned World War II collections. Nat Bellantoni traveled extensively throughout the South Pacific as a member of the 78th construction battalion and, as an artist, he chronicled his service through watercolor paintings and sketches. In this way, Bellantoni contributes to the historical record of World War II and provides unique insights into the experiences of construction battalions in the Pacific theater.
“The Natale Bellantoni collection is an extraordinary addition to Hoover’s significant holdings on America’s struggle for victory in the Pacific theater during WWII” reflected Jean Cannon, Research Fellow and Curator for North American Collections at the Hoover Institution Library & Archives. “Nat’s paintings and writings give us a unique insider perspective on the fears, challenges, and courage shown by so many soldiers during the conflict. The Hoover Institution Library & Archives has also had the thrilling opportunity to interact with many of Nat’s friends and family members who knew him as an artist, sailor, father, veteran and, to the end of his long life, a masterful chronicler of the lived experience of WWII.”
On display are the personal experiences of not only one of the US Navy’s gifted artists but an entire generation of American soldiers serving in the harrowing conditions of World War II. With its focus on the travails of “Seabees”—a name that was a jocular reinvention of the initials CB, standing for Construction Battalion— this collection offers an underrepresented perspective on this sector of American military service.
Without the Seabees’ engineering and ingenuity, plus the moxie and persistence that came to be celebrated in their well-known “Can Do!” motto, Allied success in the Pacific would not have been possible. Bellantoni documented the spirit and determination of fellow servicemembers, as his battalion worked in both rear and forward positions across the islands of the Pacific, finally making their way to Okinawa by war's end.
The Natale Bellantoni collection deepens our understanding of the courageous engineers, welders, stevedores, mechanics, riveters, architects, and artists who enabled Allied victory in the Pacific. The Hoover Institution Library & Archives invites active duty, reserve, and veteran service members, art enthusiasts, the Stanford and Bay Area communities, and all those interested in studying history to explore its vivid relics of the past.
“Herbert Hoover reminded us that ‘this Institution is not, and must not be, a mere library’” said Eric Wakin, Everett and Jane Hauck Director of the Hoover Institution Library & Archives, at the opening reception, “and, to that end, we are delighted to open the Battalion Artist exhibition, which highlights the WWII-era artwork of Natale Bellantoni, whose collection came to Hoover in 2018 and is comprised of fantastic visual materials, including more than 900 photographs, from around the Pacific”.
The Battalion Artist: A Sailor’s Journey Through the South Seas is free to the public and can be viewed in person in the Lou Henry Hoover gallery of Hoover Tower at Stanford University. Visitors may also view concurrent exhibitions featured in the Hoover Tower rotunda and gallery spaces. For those unable to attend the exhibition in person, Bellantoni’s story can still be experienced through our companion online exhibition and the book The Battalion Artist: A Navy Seabee’s Sketchbook of War in the South Pacific, 1943-1945 from the Hoover Institution Press.
Exhibition Dates and Location
September 2024 – August 2025
Lou Henry Hoover Gallery, Hoover Tower, Stanford University
Open to the public daily, 10am–4pm. Go to Visit Hoover Tower to learn about schedule changes due to holidays, Stanford football games, or other events.
Upcoming Gallery Talks and Tours
Register to Attend the Upcoming Gallery Talk: December 10th, 2024 12:00 - 12:30 PM: “Mounting Flat Paper Objects for Display” with Laurent Cruveillier
Drop-in Tours, No Registration Required: Join us on Wednesdays at 12:00pm for a 30-minute drop-in tour of The Battalion Artist exhibition, led by our gallery attendant. Visit Hoover Tower to learn about schedule changes.
The exhibition is curated by Jean Cannon and organized by the Hoover Institution Library & Archives.
For more information visit The Battalion Artist: A Sailor’s Journey Through the South Seas
