The Art of War

This exhibit features work from, Albrecht Altdorfer, Nabil Kanso, Theodore Gericault, Pablo Picasso, Edouard Detaille, Edward Jeffrey Irving, William Orpen, George Edmund Butler, Julian Scott, and John Singer Sargent. This show is about understand the effects of war not only on the soldiers themselves but also the civilians in the war zone and the women and children back home. The works displayed each feature an emotion connected to the trauma of war. I chose these artists by going through each major war and finding battles that were fought, next I looked for artists that displayed those scenes.

"The Battle of Alexander at Issus"

Albrecht Altdorfer, "The Battle of Alexander at Issus," Oil on Linden wood, 158.4 cm × 120.3 cm, 1529

Altdorfer was a German artist who was known for realistic paintings of landscape. This painting was chosen to begin the exhibit because it shows the degree of War, it depicts many many people and shows how consuming war is on a nation.

"Extinguishing the Sun the Moon and the Stars"

Nabil Kanso, "Extinguishing the Sun the Moon and the Stars," Oil on Canvas, 3.65 X 6 meters, 1993

This painting is one of a collection of seven done. Each of which depict a scene from World War II. This picture was chosen because it depicts an emotions from the Holocaust of capture and torture. It was used to show the long term effects of war on the people at home.

"The Charging Chasseur"

Theodore Gericault, "The Charging Chasseur," Oil on Canvas, 349 cm × 266 cm, 1812

Gericault was a french romanticist. Whom was known for his diagonal arrangements and vigorous paint handling. The painting displays a powerful man on a horse, both of which appear to be turning from an unseen attacker. I chose this painting because it demonstrates fear that is found in war.

"Massacre in Korea"

Pablo Picasso, "Massacre in Korea," Oil on Plywood, 110 cm × 210 cm, 1951

This painting is an expressionist painting done by Pablo Picasso. It was used to criticize American intervention in the Korean War.  I choice this piece because  it displayed some of the the impact War has one the women and children. It shows the threat of war on civilians.

"Vive L'Empereur,"

Edouard Detaille, "Vive L'Empereur," Painting, 4,450 mmX 5,125 mm, 1891

Detaille grew up in a military family and enlisted in the war at a very young age. He is known for his realistic paintings. I chose this painting because in demonstrated the extent of the war and the amount of people that a war includes. The picture portrays anger and unity among the soldiers.

"On the Road to Tripoli - a Cup of Tea for the Burial Party"

Edward Jeffrey Irving, "On the Road to Tripoli - a Cup of Tea for the Burial Party," Oil on Canvas 800mm × 616mm, 1943

Irving was assigned to paint portraits of the war by the War Arts Advisory Committee, he traveled to war zones in order to record images that he would later paint. I chose this piece because it displayed a sense of sorrow. It also displayed the terrible truth of how causal and common death is in war.

"ZonneBeke"

William Orpen, "Zonnebeke," Oil o Canvas, 635 cm X 762 cm, 1918


Orpen was an official war painter of the first World War. Much of his painting depict the violence and grief found in war zones. He visited many of the sites himself and portrayed them in a sense of anguish and suffering. I chose this piece in order to blatantly display the pain and horror of war.

“A roadside cemetery near Neuve Eglise”

George Edmund Butler, “A roadside cemetery near Neuve Eglise,” Watercolor, 229 mm X 568 mm, 1917

George Edmund Butler was a landscape artist. He was born January 15, 1972 and died August 9, 1936. Butler attended Wellington school of design 1890 and later and Lambeth School of Art in Paris, France. Butler was asked to capture the essence of war and did so by painting many of the cemeteries in which soldiers were buried. This piece expresses the tragedies of war and the many lives that it affects. I chose this piece as it gave a blunt reality of the results of war.

"The Death of General Sedgwick"

Julian Scott, “The Death of General Sedgwick,”Oil on Canvas, 78 X 99 inches, 1887

Julian Scott was a soldier in the Civil War and later after returning home to paint; he depicted many of the scenes he had witnessed, including the death of General Sedgwick. I chose this piece because it depicted the process of death. It shows the anguish and sorrow in the soldier’s faces as they experience death due to war.

"Gassed"

John Singer Sargent, “Gassed,” Oil on Canvas, 231 × 611.1 cm, 1919.

This painting depicts the aftermath of a mustard gassing during the first world war. John Singer Sargent was commissioned by the British War Memorial Committee to document the war and did so by visiting sites such as the one portrayed above. I chose this piece because it shows the torture that soldiers receive while fighting war and the many lives lost.

Conclusion

By doing this project I learned the difficulty in creating an Art Exhibit. I had such a hard time in finding pieces that all expressed the theme or message that I was trying to convey. I think the n=most difficult part of it was finding pieces from different arts, I found many pieces by the same artist that I wish I could have used. Nothing about this process came naturally, however I found it easy to pick and recognize a theme in the art that I was researching. The most challenging part for me the putting it together to make it seem as if it were one exhibit with one meaning, rather than just a collection of pieces.

                I would never be able to do the job of a curator. This process is so detailed and exact that I feel like I would never be able to do it successfully. I discovered how deep of a connection that must be formed in order to establish a sense of unity among the different pieces of art. I had no idea the amount of time it took to decide what order to place pictures in, what captions to give them, and just which pictures to use. Each of them are so meaning in their own way it is very hard to piece them together in a way that tells a bigger picture.