About the Picture
The image is a side on view of a procession of wounded soldiers being led along a duckboard by a medical orderly. The men have their eyes bandaged as a result of exposure to the poisonous mustard gas. Each of the men in the procession is seen holding onto the shoulder of the man in front. One of the men has his right leg raised in an exaggerated position as if climbing a series of steps. Another goes sheer right out of the line with his back facing the viewer. Also, in the background painting is another group of temporarily blinded soldiers being led in a procession by a station guy
Visual Elements:
The scene portrayed in the painting is an aftermath of a mustard gas attack on the western front of the allied side. The mustard gas is a chemical weapon that killed the victims indiscriminately leaving them with extensive injuries as well as numerous burns. The gas also affected the victims' eyes. It is the end of the day, and a closer look at the painting gives a clue on the management practices undertaken on wounded soldiers. The painting depicts lack of protective clothing on the gassed soldiers, the impact of the gas on the victims as well as the extent of its effects. It also represents the routine nature of the medical camp. This is evident in the background where a group of soldiers can be seen playing football regardless of the situation. The scene emphasizes on the effects of the war and pays special attention to the survivors. The element of motion is evidenced and in two forms to symbolize the state of the soldiers; the ones standing and moving are the survivors and the ones lying down can be presumed to have sustained injuries or dead. The sky is clear and suggestive that it is daytime.
Design Principles:
The digital art painting is light but of great skill. The images of wounded men being led off to the medical tents depict redemption from the horrors of the war. In sharp contrast, the setting sun represents a society that allows its youths and active men to be wasted in war. However, the overall impression of the painting is of loss, pain, and suffering. Contrary to the victims, the images of the football players are both physically and visually well coordinated with full playing kits. Although the football scene seems to be out of place, it shows the sharp contrast between the gassed victims to a routine event.
References
Blotkamp, Carel (2004) Mondrian: The Art of Destruction. London. Reaction
Books Ltd. pp: 9
Gardner, H., Kleiner, F. S., & Mamiya, C. J. (2006). Gardner's art through
the ages: the Western perspective. Belmont, CA, Thomson Wadsworth: 780
Darwent, Charles (2014) Complex Simplicity: The Enduring Influence of
Mondrian.
Introvigne, Massimo (2014). "From Mondrian to Charmion von Wiegand:
Neoplasticism, Theosophy and Buddhism". In Noble, Judith; Shepherd, Dominic; Ansell, Robert. Black Mirror 0: Territory. Fulgur Esoterica. pp. 4961.
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