The Naked Soldier

When the Anzac Memorial, opened in 1934, eager crowds were enthralled by the evocative sculptures by Rayner Hoff. Unfortunately, controversy over one of Hoff’s artworks and his premature death resulted in these sculptures being largely overlooked for the past 80 years. 

The Naked Soldier will help visitors understand the symbolism of Hoff’s 40 sculptures in the Anzac Memorial. It sheds new light on his amazing gift to the people of New South Wales, who were still grieving from the slaughter of the First World War.

Above all, this book shows that Rayner Hoff created the central sculpture, Sacrifice, to depict the burden placed on women when their men were killed in the war. With this substantially revised edition, a visit to the Anzac Memorial will now be a richer experience because Hoff’s messages of empathy are available to visitors.