The painting was part of Victor Gordon’s memorate.com.au Anzac art installation.

Meg Vaughan, the granddaughter of Ernest’s sister Laurie, only found out about the exhibition a couple of weeks ago.

“It was fantastic that with some help we were able to track down Meg. It was amazing she could be here with us,” Mr Gordon said.

Mrs Vaughan said young Ernest’s sacrifice was something she was aware of from a young age.

“His photograph was on the wall at my grandmother’s house and he was always spoken of fondly and with a great deal of reverence,” she said.

“He was a humble and wonderful young man.

“I can’t thank Victor enough for bringing his story to life again through this beautiful painting in this wonderful exhibition.”

The floor of the exhibition room was covered with artificial turf with simulated headstones laid across the floor, while displayed along one wall is a large scale nine-metre-long panelled painting depicting the industrial-scale magnitude of the war deaths, with scores of tombstones waiting to be loaded aboard ships.

“By representing, on the one hand, the backdrop of the vast industrial scale of death in the First World War and, on the other, focusing on one individual, Ernest Powter, a sombre sense of the futility of war is proffered,” Mr Gordon said.

In opening the exhibition, war author and filmmaker Michael Caulfield told the crowd they should return at a quiet time to fully absorb the impact of the exhibition, which encourages people to contemplate the appalling human toll war takes on individuals, families and nations.

Mr Gordon will give a floor talk at the gallery next Thursday at 5pm.

janice.harris@fairfaxmedia.com.au