The early modern era was a time when the Renaissance ideas of capturing nature in exact detail had been replaced with the Impressionist era, which focused on art capturing how a moment felt. Early modern art expanded on the works of the impressionists and began to experiment more with the creativity of art. During the early modern era, there were also strong influences that gave the artists shared themes. This time was during WWI and the Great Depression. Today we will be looking at some of the art that came from WWI.
Battle of Courcelette:
Battle of Courcelette was painted by Louis Weirter in 1918. Weirter served in the British infantry during the Canadian attack on Courcelette. It was Canada’s first attack on the front and resulted in one of the few victories of the Allies. The battle resulted in many casualties on both sides. The painting is really beautiful in capturing the chaos of battle. There are guns shooting, explosions, fire, and destruction scattered across the battlefield. The painting is interesting that it shows no soldiers but instead captures the battle field in its moment. War here is devastating, but exciting while still intense.
Shock Troops Advance under Gas (Sturmtruppe geht unter Gas vor) from The War (Der Krieg):
Otta Dix etched a scene of WWI German troops advancing wearing gas masks, 1924. This war was a new type of war. Before this war, many artists depicted war with bright colors and good lighting to see it and all the battle with a touch of glory. With the age of industrialization, the quick and easy war was no longer the way of life. The German people went into the war very optimistic about expanding German culture and enriching their nation. This etching, with grim black lines, depicts where the war lead; it became something of a horror for all sides involved. I think that this piece really brings out the horror and the evil in war. In the far right, behind a tree there is a grim reaper looking menacingly onto the battlefield. It seems to say death is all that you will find in war.
Over the Top:
John Nash was commissioned to paint Over the Top as part of the attack on December 30. It was painted in 1918 on oil canvas. The troops march around and over any obstacles. There are two people dead in the trench but they do not look back. The soldier keeps marching into the blackening sky. This piece shows more of a romantic view of war mixed with the knowledge of the evil. It combines brave troops and harsh conditions to paint the image of a side that is willing to do what it takes to win the war. I think it is clear from the style of painting so far that this one is a very different take on war. It is not picturing the battle because everyone knows that is terrible. It is showing the troops march and their dedication to the cause.
Bibliography:
Alamenciak, Tim. “A War on Canvas: Battle of Courcelette.” TVO. The Inside Agenda Blog, 04 Nov. 2014. Web. 03 Apr. 2015. <http://theagenda.tvo.org/blog/agenda-blogs/war-canvas-battle-courcelette>.
“Otto Dix. Shock Troops Advance under Gas (Sturmtruppe Geht Unter Gas Vor) from The War (Der Krieg). (1924).” MoMA.org. The Museum of Modern Art, n.d. Web. 03 Apr. 2015. <http://www.moma.org/collection/object.php?object_id=63260>.
“‘Over The Top’. 1st Artists’ Rifles at Marcoing, 30th December 1917.”Imperial War Museums. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Apr. 2015. <http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/20015>.
Art Appreciation Blog 
I think, in all honesty, you had some of the best examples of how WWI influenced art on your blog. Every illustration was really interesting and unique. It also really helped that you added some detailed commentary on what was happening in the paintings. My favorite was Shock Troops Advance under Gas (Sturmtruppe geht unter Gas vor) from The War (Der Krieg) by Otto Dix. I liked that specific photo so much that I even found some more artwork done by Dix; check out the link below to Kahn Academy where they discuss another one of his works.
https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/art-1010/art-between-wars/neue-sachlichkeit/v/dix-portrait-of-sylvia-von-harden-1926
LikeLike
I really like the art that you chose to illustrate your point about WWI. I am very interested in how so many people were affected by the war, and how each had their own story to tell, or in the case of artists, their own picture to illustrate.
The painted by Louis Weirter (1918) looks so surreal. So much so that when I saw it, I thought of the work by Surrealist Salvador Dalí. But of course there are no melting clocks in Weirter’s painting, but the image of war he illustrates is very vibrant and dreamlike, which is what it may have felt like.
Otta Dix etching from 1924 looks so modern to me. I recently watch the movie Suckerpunch (2011) directed by Zack Snyder. This etching looks like it could have been a storyboard image for one of the action scenes, set in WWI trenches, with Red Baron style planes. This correlation really drives home the fact that the Modern Era began with WWI, and its violence.
I like the stark reality of John Nash’s Over the Top (1918). He apparently witnessed this battle first-hand and completed this painting only a little while after. Many of the men died in the first few minutes of the battle, as this painting illustrates. When I first saw this painting, it reminded me of “folk art” from the Northern Renaissance Era (Pieter Bruegel the Elder, The Hunters in the Snow, cir. 1565). The muted colors, movement of the figures, stark contrasts between the figures and the snow, and the flat light are very similar between the two pieces. Both are important pieces of art, but the similarity and differences illustrate the new voice of the artist in the 20th century.
LikeLike
I enjoyed your blog and very much appreciated the art you chose to showcase. Especially the painting of the soldiers wearing gas masks, it really brings to mind the brutality of the first modern war. I also agree with your interpretation of the art pieces in that past war paintings did show a cleaner way even though they were still surrounded by death and focussed on victory. This work isn’t portraying a specific battle but more the feel and fear of the war.
LikeLike
I loved the paintings you choose to discuss the wars influence on this era. “The Battle of Courcelette” was fantastic to take in. At first glance, there is so much going on and it speaks to the incredible amount of chaos that must have been going on; and when you look closer to the different, more subtle scenes, it brings the mind to the pain and torment inflicted on the men in battle and it shows the rage of the soldiers when they’re in the heat of the battle. The use of blue was a beautiful tone to add to fiery fury of the field. It balanced and calmed and focused the entire painting. Loved it.
The second, “Shock Troops Advance Under Gas”, is menacing. I would hate to have that in my mind and be in the position to only find release from it by drawing it out. Your distinction between WWI and previous wars was perfect. “Before this war, many artists depicted war with bright colors and good lighting to see it and all the battle with a touch of glory.” There was no glory there was only nightmare. Makes me wonder if the soldiers who saw this could hold an appreciation for it’s truth.
And the third example is so soft and delicate in color and line that it was difficult for me to connect WAR with the painting. That is what brought me in to consider it more carefully. There is no bright red blood or fiery orange; just cold solitude and pain. And again, no glory. No banner of nationalism flying high, just truth of battle.
LikeLike
boring
LikeLike