Wars in the Early Modern Era
Sir James Guthrie, Statesmen of World War I 1930.
Statesmen of World War I was painted by Sir James Guthrie in 1930. Soon after its completion, Guthrie died and the painting was donated to the National Portrait Gallery in London. This piece was commissioned at £5,000 by Sir Abraham Bailey, a South African financier. Bailey wanted something to commemorate those who held office during World War I (WWI).
Guthrie used dark colors and a window light source to show texture, but also emotion. The darkness in the room causes the viewer to feel sad or possibly even hopeless, as many people felt during the First World War. We also can see a headless statue in the back that looks a lot like the Winged Victory of Samothrace. The Winged Victory of Samothrace is a sculpture of the Greek goddess, Niké, whose name means victory. I couldn’t find definitive proof, but I believe that he used the sculpture Niké, AKA Victory, as a symbol of The Alies' victory in WWI.
James Montgomery Flagg, I Want You for U.S. Army 1917.
James Montgomery Flagg painted the famous I Want You for U.S. Army poster published/printed in 1917. This poster was printed and published to recruit soldiers for World War I, and eventually, World War II. The character in the painting is the most notorious depiction of Uncle Sam. Uncle Sam, initials U.S., is the personification of the United States government used to evoke emotion and patriotism. Flagg's poster became one of the most well-known pieces of military propaganda in United States history.
The contrast in colors between Uncle Sam and the white background makes him “pop out” at the viewer. Not only that, but he is seen pointing at the viewer, making this poster feel more personable. The use of primarily the United State’s flag colors, red, white, and blue also help give the feeling of patriotism, a persuasive feeling in the use of military propaganda.
John Singer Sargent, Gassed 1919.
Gassed was painted in 1919 by the artist John Singer Sargent. This painting is enormous, with a height of 91 inches and a width of 240.5 inches. This piece was commissioned by the British War Memorials Committee, a British government determined to memorialize World War I. The same year of its completion, Gassed was nominated Picture of the Year by the Royal Academy of Arts. Currently, it hangs in one of the Imperial War Museums in London.
A bunch of soldiers are shown huddling and grabbing onto one another after surviving a mustard gas attack. These men are shown grabbing onto one another to form a line to get to a field hospital so they can get treated. Most of the men appear to be wearing blindfolds or cloth to shield their eyes. The uniforms all being the same color and the background not being much different gives this painting the feeling of unity but also sadness. Many men are shown on the group injured or dead, showing the viewer the horrible effects of chemical weapons.
Early Modern Art Connection
1900-1939 was a difficult time to be alive for many. The First World War occurred and the global economy suffered during the Great Depression. Many art pieces during these years were centered around these topics, many of them filled with tragedy, anger, and fear. We saw tragedy in Gassed where numerous men were injured or died from mustard gas. We saw anger in the I Want You for U.S. Army poster utilized to recruit soldiers for war. And we even saw fear in Statesmen of World War I where the statemen and political figures held down office during war. These feelings litter the art of this era, and because of this, we get to see and feel a bit of what they did. That is why art is so important, its beautiful but also educational. In this case, its a reminder to not repeat the past.
Bibliography:
“Statesmen of World War I.“ National Portrait Gallery, Accessed July 20, 2024. https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portrait/mw00301/Statesmen-of-World-War-I
Stewart, Alastair. “Statesmen of The Great War.” International Churchill Society, September 28, 2022. Accessed July 20, 2024. https://winstonchurchill.org/publications/finest-hour/finest-hour-194/james-guthrie-statesmen-of-the-great-war/
“I want you for U.S. Army : nearest recruiting station.” PennState University Libraries, Accessed July 22, 2024. https://digital.libraries.psu.edu/digital/collection/warposters/id/299/
“Uncle Sam: 1814.” Ben’s Guide, Accessed July 22, 2024. https://bensguide.gpo.gov/j-uncle-sam?highlight=WyJ1bmNsZSIsInNhbSIsInVuY2xlIHNhbSJd
“John Singer Sargent Gassed.” The National WWI Museum and Memorial, June 3, 2018. Accessed July 22, 2024. https://www.theworldwar.org/exhibitions/john-singer-sargent-gassed
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