What is the Price of a Mile? Art Analysis: Early Modern Art

Long ago, it was known as the “War to End All Wars”

           In 1914, a single shot plunged Europe into a conflict like no other – where unimaginable horrors and inhuman atrocities plagued those involved. However, before the carnage, there was a call-to-war that echoed across the hearts of Europe’s most powerful empires, uniting their people through a sense of nationalism, while also inspiring a new generation of artists. Some, like their fellow countrymen, viewed the war as a patriotic duty; others were thrill-seekers, chasing a short, yet exciting “adventure” that was unlike any before it. However, to many, they believed this war would usher in an era of peace; that through one final act of bloodshed, these oppressive monarchs would crumble, and democracy would govern the land.

          Soon, however, this “Great War” threw these men into the depths of hell, testing: their motivations, their beliefs, and their own spirit. As the conflict raged on, several artists, who had already rejected the nationalist fervor, had protested against the war. Sadly, their governments ignored their pleas, conscripting many young men – and some of these artists – throwing them into the dreadful struggle. Yet, even with strong opposition traveling throughout the artistic world, a few advocated for this war, seeing it as an opportunity to experience the fight firsthand, defending their homeland. In would not be long, before these artists – turned soldiers, aid man, or correspondents – begun documenting the abysmal life at the front. They produced powerful art, based on the events they witnessed at each front, depicting the chaos of battle, and suffering of the men engaged in it. As the war continued on, it altered the artists, and their motivations, tremendously; their spirits shattered, their nationalism, enthusiasm, and optimism swiftly crushed. Rage filled their souls, as they mourned the loss of their comrades and as they felt betrayal from their governments – these men sought an outlet for this anger that consumed them.

            In 1918, the dust settled, and the Great War had come to an end; powers of the world met to discuss the Treaty of Versailles, and broken men returned to their war-torn streets. Among them, artists found themselves lost in this ‘new age of peace,’ wrestling with the pain felt from years of torment. To all those involved, they witnessed unparalleled slaughter – an unimaginable bloodbath. An estimated 16 million people, soldiers, and civilians had died before the Allied Powers reclaimed Europe. Channeling this trauma into art, artists revolutionized multiple techniques, materials, and styles; some used a modern approach, drawing inspiration from the avant-garde experimentation that occurred prior to the war, while others chose to adopt a traditional approach and incorporate elements of previous styles.

            Before my analysis, I would like to share the 1915 poem, “In Flanders Fields” by Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae. Written from the perspective of his fallen brethren, McCrae’s poem would have a legacy that is synonymous with World War 1, inspiring the use of poppy flower as the symbol of remembrance (History.com):

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.

Dispose of the Weak

            Within the month following the shocking assassination of Archduke Ferdinand, the citizens of Europe watched as their monarchies tore the continent apart, forming two colossal alliances prepared for an inevitable war. Russia, France, and Britain came to aid the small nation of Serbia – whose desire for independence ignited global war – creating the Allied Powers, while Austria-Hungary and Germany maintained close relations, creating the Central Powers. On August 4th, 1914, the German Army smashed through its border with neutral Belgium, aiming to knockout France as part of the Schlieffen Plan. As they pressed through the small nation, the German Army committed mass atrocities against the Belgian people, known as the Rape of Belgium, and soon their crimes would be known to the world – thanks to the British, The Committee on Alleged German Outrages, or “The Bryce Report.”

            George Bellows was horrified by the massacre of innocent civilians, and the mass deportation of those who survived the initial onslaught. An estimated 120,000 Belgian men, women, and children enter imprisonment in Germany, where they became members of forced labor camps, building: railways, infrastructure and even digging trenches near the front – all helpless, toiling for the very war machine that terrorized their homeland. Individuals that were unfit for work, returned to Belgium, however the abuse never ceased during the German occupation – those too weak to exit the train died at the hands of men who beat them with rifles.

Return of the Useless, c.1918, by George Wesley Bellows. Painted in the United States. 

               Color: A "sea" of red fills the painting, encompassing the young woman, her fellow Belgians, and the German men. Its purpose is to represent the pain felt by these innocent civilians, as they are tormented by the German invaders; to represent the violent nature of the soldiers, who strike the weakened laborers with the butts of their rifles. George Bellows wanted to depict the horror that occurred during the "Rape of Belgium," drawing inspiration from the eyewitness accounts detailed in the controversial Bryce Report - a document that some considered to be nothing more than anti-German propaganda. Bellows, who originally opposed the war and any possible U.S. involvement, was appalled by the atrocities described by Bryce, and felt the Allied action against the Central Powers was justified; to such, he painted a powerful 'war series' to motivate the U.S. people to support the fight against Germany.

                I personally felt that the 'red boxcar' was more than just symbolic of the violence occurring in the frame, rather it also represented the torture these civilians endured at the German forced labor camps. From harsh beatings to starvation, danger lurked all around corners and soon, was a familiar "face" to these powerless prisoners.


                Tone: A large "spotlight" is casted upon the young woman exiting the boxcar, most likely from a nearby flood light that is used to daze and disorientate the prisoners - helping to dissuade any attempt of escape. Beyond the realism of this light source, it helps direct the viewer's attention to the center of the painting, where we can see more helpless prisoners in the boxcar. They appear to stay within the shadows, avoiding the abusers that await outside the boxcar door; this is contrasted by the woman, who enters into the light and musters her remaining strength to take up a defensive posture. Bellows is using her to represent the resolve of Belgium's people, that even after repeated abuse, they can still fight against this oppressive regime.

                Texture: There is a "gritty" nature to this painting, I feel as though I could step into the scene and feel the soft mud underneath my boots; smell the fumes from engines hauling prisoners to-and-from the camps. Bellows did a fantastic job incorporating, the 'wear of war' into artwork, from the paint chipping on the boxcar door frame, to the soot stains and dust along the its panelling - this boxcar has seen thousands of lives destroyed at the hands of German Army. Looking at the prisoners, you can see the effects of starvation - especially with the man who is attempting to intervene as a soldier abuses an older woman; he appears frail, barely able to maintain an adequate posture.

The Endless March of the Machine

                By the autumn of 1918, over 70 million young men had mobilized to engage in hellish combat across the European continent. Unlike the generation before them, who had joined due to a sense of nationalism, the last four years of war subjected these men to conscription and turmoil on the front. There was no pride, no sense of adventure – just suffering from all sides of the struggle; because, to their governments, these soldiers were expendable cogs in the war machine. Two years prior, artist Christopher Richard Wynne Nevinson captured this grim reality with his legendary piece, A Dawn, 1914. His artwork true inspiration from his own firsthand experience, for Nevinson served as a British ambulance driver on the western front and witnessed the gruesome injuries sustained by Allied forces – forever changing the young artist.

                A Sotheby’s article details the powerful message of Nevinson’s work stating:

“[…] an autumnal morning in Flanders, as overloaded soldiers march onwards to a life in the trenches with no supporters to cheer them on. The soldiers in question are the poilus – downtrodden French soldiers who, unlike their British counterparts at the beginning of the War, were conscripts rather than volunteers […] portrayal of these suffering, stoic men possess an unparalleled bite and resonance.” (Sotheby’s)

 

                This painting, depicting such an abysmal march to war, showcased the horror of maneuver warfare to the western world – and even to its commanders, who had distance themselves from the nightmare they ordered men to face.

A Dawn, 1914, c.1916, by Christopher Richard Wynne Nevinson. Painted in Great Britain.  

                Line: Arguably the most striking feature of this artwork is Nevinsons's use of sharp, jagged lines - forming a "river of zig-zags" that seems to be endless. At first glance, the men appear to expressionless, marching stoically through the streets towards war; however, as you further examine the work, you can see dread on many of their faces. I had mentioned above, that these men were in fact poilus, or French conscripts, as such they did not volunteer to put their lives on the line - they did have any national sentiment, no desire for adventure. Understanding this, it is easy to see how their irregular column represents the anxiety and fear these soldiers felt, knowing that only death awaits them at the front.

                Tone: Unlike classical works, whose symbolic contrasts were achieved by using obvious light sources in their works, Nevinson achieved tone by using the faces of the men. There is not a spotlight projected on anyone, the street is not dimly light, or shrouded in darkness - rather we can see everything in the same light, everything but the men. Their caps and brows casted deep shadows over their eyes - we can not see through the windows to their souls; their faces are angular, like they were manufactured - they are no longer human; the dark hues of their uniforms, void of live or character - the 'unit' has no emotion. Nevinson wanted to captured the hopelessness he and other soldiers had felt when they fell into place, when they became just another "cog in the machine."

                Form: As I already discussed, this artwork features an abundant use of jagged lines to depict a variety of terrible emotions. I described Nevinson's goal of portraying a soldier's despair, as they realize their life is meant to feed the War Machine - a ravenous beast that feels no remorse for tearing apart the lives of man. However, I never described the look of this monster, because it is a devious shapeshifter. In this piece, the War Machine is the column, serpentining through the city streets, taking its form from the men who meld together and lose their own individuality. Its vast, requiring the strength of a-million-men to move, all so it can stay true to its nature - to destroy all that stand before it, caring little about Gods, Kings, or Leaders that may oppose it.


All is Quiet… Now

                Some would say that the Dead were the most fortunate; that once the guns fell silent, the true horror began. On November 11th, 1918, after four years of immense devastation – countless lives forever changed by this grueling conflict – the Great War came to an end. Leaders of the world started their journeys towards the scarred-landscape of Europe, coming together to agree on legislation that would never allow another Great War – or any other war for that matter. While they deliberated, the battle-weary men broke down their defenses, dismantled the field guns, and demolished their trenches; as they worked, there was an eerie silence all around them. For the duration of the war, these men experienced constant stress and anxiety, their minds ravaged by routine bombardments and by the sight of mutilated corpse strung across the front. However, now it was suddenly quiet, the was no need to fight; the men were unprepared for this new enemy, and as it crept in closer and closer, the horrible nightmares started, and men cried out towards their fallen brothers – evening “seeing” them in the fields of No Man’s Land. For many, they felt as though the Dead avoided the most frightful part of war – survival.

            The survivors soon returned home, greeting their anxious loved ones – who themselves feared the worse. Slowly, the Dead found their way home and provided closure for their families; their nation honored them and the ultimate price they had paid. Still, some men never made it “home,” lost completely to the battlefield; overtime some were found, bodies in ruin, and they were laid-in-state in churches across their country. They waited for someone to claim them, to take them home and finally provide them peaceful rest – sadly, few would be. Thus, those who remained earned title: the “Unknowns.”

To the Unknown British Soldier in France, c.1923, by William Orpen. Painted in Great Britain. 

            Tone: My favorite element in this painting by far, being the very reason why I decided to include this work in my exhibit. At the center of the piece is a long, dark hallway, leading the viewer's eyes to cross seen faintly in the light; almost immediately I thought about the saying, "...Don't go towards the light!" However, unlike Hollywood who uses that saying when the protagonist's life is fleeting away, their allies rushing to save them - all to build tension; this light does not add any tension to this scene, rather a sense of comfort. Just before this walkway, lays a soldier who has suffered an untold level of hardship before being brutally cutdown on the battlefield. This ominous tunnel is actually leading him towards heaven, away from the horrors of war and of man - he is now safe and his soul free.

              Texture: I love Orpen's use of texture in this painting, primarily the stark contrast between the soft, flowing fabric of the Union Jack compared to the hard, cold stone of the room. At the outbreak of World War 1, many British soldiers felt a strong sense of duty - and pride - both in protecting the Crown and her lands from invaders, but also liberating the smaller nations of Europe from the evil clutches of the "Hun." I believe Orpen depicted this sentiment with the oversized flag draped on the casket: the flag's size represent the millions of young Englishmen who fought, and died, on the Western Front; the flag symbolizes all of Britain, slumping itself over the casket to show the nation mourning another loss; the national color, red, envelopes the entire casket and this reflects the blood he shed for the country. This is also contrasted by a rigid marble that surrounds the body, which I believe depicts the cold nature of government. This room has ornate decorations, busts of what may be famed leaders, and a beautiful chandelier - this is not where people gather to mourn, to remember the fallen; this is where the rich and powerful may meet for banquets or where officials pass through on their way to the legislative hall. Why place the body here? Perhaps to give the impression the government cares - I mean they placed him in a "fancy" room, does that not show we honor him? To me, it shows that they have aave up on him, that they are not concerned with identifying him, finding it easier to "dump" him off to the side in a beautiful building and move on; he has been forgotten by his Leaders. 

            Line: Though I feel that tone produced the greatest amount of drama for this artwork, Orpen used obvious linear perspective to help elicit an emotional response from viewer. As I described above, the tunnel stretches far from the casket, thanks to Orpens use of horizontal,and vertical, lines, which create a sense of distance. Furthermore, the long, vertical lines that establish the arch way give it an intimidating presence, as those who start this journey can not turn back. This poor soldier must complete this long walk to reach his eternal rest; but for us, the living, this hallway represents a soul separating from the physical world - the foreground - and entering the the spiritual word - the light at the end, and what inevitably awaits us. 

References

Dr. Jennifer Padgett, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art and Dr. Steven Zucker, "Bellows,                     Return of the Useless," in Smarthistory, March 3, 2020, accessed July 12, 2022,                                         https://smarthistory.org/bellows-return-useless/.

Editors, History.com. “World War I.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 29 Oct. 2009, https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-i/world-war-i-history.

Herbert, Tom. “World War 1 in Numbers: The Mind-Blowing Scale of WW1.” Evening Standard, Evening Standard, 11 Nov. 2018, https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/ww1-soldiers-in-numbers-how-many-died-world-war-one-facts-for-armistice-day-a3986761.html.

Milne, Nick. “The 'Rape of Belgium' Revisited.” World War I Centenary, 2022, http://ww1centenary.oucs.ox.ac.uk/memoryofwar/the-rape-of-belgium-revisited/.

Sotheby's. “The Greatest WWI Painting by Britain's Leading War Artist.” Sothebys.com, Sotheby's, 23 July 2018, https://www.sothebys.com/en/articles/the-greatest-wwi-painting-by-britains-leading-war-artist.

Unknown, Unknown. “Return of the Useless - George Bellows.” USEUM, 2022, https://useum.org/artwork/Return-of-the-Useless-George-Bellows-1918.

Unknown, Unknown. “To the Unknown British Soldier in France.” Imperial War Museums, 2022, https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/20880.