Honors Component: War Collage by Juliana Hernandez

War Collage 

       This artwork connects to my central theme, The Impact of War because each picture depicts a message about war and how it is seen through my eyes. The pictures depicted in my collage each have their own individual meaning of war. For my collage I used detailed words to describe the effects of war, for example,"the dangers of fighting"which is a strong point because the word is surrounded by smoke, darkness, and fleeing people and represents one of the many effects of war. Also in my collage is "Friend or Foe?". It is a strong definition of war because opposing sides have been allies at one time, but due to greed for territory become enemies. Altogether my collage represents how war impacts a person and is my way of a sending message to society through art. 

The Face of War by Salvador Dali

           

     
     The Face of War, by Salvador Dali, from 1940 was painted to depict a period when the Spaniards, including Salvador Dali, were going through difficult times as a result of a three year long, Second Spanish Civil War (Dali Face of War). The Spanish Civil War affected the Spaniards severely due to their goal to become a Republic; which was crushed and left Spain turning into a repressive fascist dictatorship (Dali Face of War). Salvador Dali was across the world left grieving for his country and the pain his people faced. Salvador Dali's painting Face of War was his way of paying homage to his country. 

      Dali's Face of War is unique because it is a personal subject for him and is his way of expressing Salvador's feelings towards war. Even if your are viewing the painting for the first time, it is clearly seen that suffering is illustrated through a dead face. Also noticed are the repetitive faces of death and decay in the painting (Dali Face of War). Which depicts only one tone, death and nothing else. From this painting it is shown that to Salvador Dali all war meant was death. Another noticeable detail is the emaciated face of the corpse whose face bores into the eyes of its viewers. It artistically sends a message that The Face of War only sees and speaks death. This depiction of war is also a special topic for Dali who claimed to feel the pain and destructions of war mentally and physically (Dali Face of War). Lastly, Dali's handprint is featured in the right-hand corner, which is seen as his way of telling viewers the definition of war using art over words (Dali Face of War).

      My theme The Impact of War is expressed uniquely through this famous painting by Salvador Dali, who sends his message about war using art.  Dali provides his explanation of war so effortlessly by painting a corpse face who screams death and suffering. Many may not realize that it is not just suffering the corpse is going through; but most importantly the face of a corpse stuck in a war-ridden world.  Pain, death, suffering, and despair are all interpretations that are negative towards war; which all my artists featured are focused on illustrating and how war ultimately affects people and a society. 

"Dali Face of War" (2011, April 24). The Artist Salvador Dali. <http://www.theartistsalvadordali.com/face-war.htm>.


"The Face of War" (image) http://www.tufts.edu/programs/mma/fah188/clifford/3Salvador-Dali-The-Face-Of-War.jpg

Guernica by Pablo Picasso

      
     Guernica, by Pablo Picasso, in 1937 is a mural that fills an entire wall and specifically relates to a tragic event (Bombing of Guernica). Picasso's painting is a response to the bombing of Guernica, Spain by warplanes from Germany and Italy. Together Germany and Italy were at war with Spanish Nationalist forces, this war is known as the Spanish Civil War (Guernica). During that time the Spanish Republican government commissioned Pablo Picasso to design a large scaled mural for display at the Paris International Exposition in 1937 (Guernica). To Pablo Picasso it was his personal way of expressing his political commitment and loyalty to Spain.

       Guernica is now represented as an anti-war symbol to the world and shows viewers from all over that war results in tragedy. The painting also sends the message of how together we should learn to embody peace. Guernica illustrates the calamity of war and the pain it inflicts on the people around; specifically, in the suffering town of Spain. The tone set in the painting depicts distressed people, animals, and buildings ravaged by chaos. When looking at specific scenes in the painting each person or animal has a different emotion displayed. Picasso illustrates each person by portraying agony and affliction in unique ways. For example the woman crying for the death of her child; which was a result of Germany and Italy's practice of Blitzkreig (Bombing of Guernica). Also detailed are black, white, and grey colors; which set a somber tone and forces the eye to focus on important details. Like the people's faces and the hidden images of a bull and a horse; two elements special in the Spanish culture (Guernica). Guernica is Pablo Picasso's voice about political events and expresses his individual message; that war and death effects a society and its people greatly 

       My theme, The Impact of War is represented through this paintings because it displays to viewers that war saddens and hurts people and even practicing for war has big consequences. The paintings relates to a historical event which is similar to my other featured paintings; which depict specific scenes of a war in that time.  It is also important that the artist ties to their art personally by illustrating moments that pay tribute to them culturally; for example, artists Salvador Dali and Pablo Picasso. The artists express similar thoughts about the Spanish Civi War.  Yet both send a different message and depict similar, yet unique emotions of suffering, death, and violence. 

"Bombing of Guernica". (2011, April 23) Wikipedia. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombing_of_Guernica>. 

"Guernica". (2011, April 17). Wikipedia (painting).  <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guernica_%28painting%29>.


"Guernica" (image) http://www.pablopicasso.org/images/paintings/guernica_l.jpg

The Trench Warfare by Otto Dix

        
     The Trench Warfare, by Otto Dix, was painted in 1932 (History World). The paintings is Otto Dix's way of criticizing society and portraying the effects of World War I and for the world to see. As a german painter he is known for depicting despair and portraying the brutalities of war. When World War I first broke out, Dix joined the German Army from 1914 to 1918 and after illustrated the devastating sights of war and his personal experiences through paintings (Otto Dix). Later in his life during WWII, Dix was regarded as a degenerate artist, when the Nazis came into power, who did not accept his brutal and realistic view of war in Germany (Otto Dix). Because of war Otto Dix was able to experience it first-hand and create his own unique meaning of war and show it to the world.

       For four years, Otto Dix created a panel known as The Trench Warfare that depicts disfigured soldiers and a violent representation of the effects of WWI. His painting is specifically portrayed of Berlin, where Otto Dix witnessed bloodshed and death commonly while serving in the army (Otto Dix).  Dix's Trench Warfare was during the Expressionist phase and was influenced by Dadaism, where he incorporates the expressionism of despair and collage elements from Dadaism (History-World). The painting depicts dismembered and decaying bodies after a battle during WWI. In the central panel a soldier’s face is covered by a gas mask, an element that is identifiable to Otto Dix since he was a German soldier. On the left is a survivor collapsed in a trench surrounded by corpses’ with a skeleton hanging on a tree branch. The features of The Trench Warfare is famous for illustrating the war with realistic details. It shows people and their society what war causes and how it is seen. The painting altogether takes the illusion of war to morbid levels by including mangled figures of soldiers and the destruction of war surrounding them. Everything in the painting is disturbing including the colors that leave a grave tone. Dix's painting is his message to society and his thoughts of WWI; which expresses the repercussions of war and its destruction.   

       This painting ties with my theme because it represents the effects of war and the impact it has on people and society. The result of war is shown through the painting and focuses on a harsh and realistic depiction, where destruction could have been avoided or reduced had not the strive for power and territory increased. Dix's painting does not portray soldiers in combat but rather on the verge of death.  This also connects with my theme of The Impact of War where the painting expresses the impact in a negative light. 

"Otto Dix".  (2011, April 27) Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otto_Dix#Post-war_artwork

"History-World". (2011, April 24). World War I, Otto Dix. http://history-world.org/otto_dix.htm


"The Trench Warfare" (image) http://www.uncp.edu/home/rwb/dix.wartriptych.jpg

Los Desastres de la Guerra by Francisco Goya

            

               


       Los Desastres de la Guerra, by Francisco Goya, in 1815 has been regarded as an influential Spanish painting during the late 18th and early 19th century. Goya’s painting depicts a time when Napoleon and his army invaded Spain in 1808 (History of the World). This brutal war, also known as the Peninsular Wars led to a mass execution of the Spanish people, who rose up against Napoleon (Disasters of War). Although Francisco Goya despised the French he pledged his allegiance to Bonaparte and painted for the French Regime (Met Museum). When Napoleon's regime failed Goya commemorated his allegiance to Spain by depicting realistic events of Napoleon and his army effected the people. These moments are featured in Goya's famous paintings like The Third of May in 1808, and a series of prints, The Disasters of War in 1815 (Met Muesuem).  

   

       Francisco Goya accounted for the inhumanity of war and depicted the corruption brought by Napoleon during the struggle for independence in Spain from France. The composition of the drawings are similar to Jacques Callot's, The Miseries of War and played an influential factor. Goya's technique is known as the Baroque and Rococo tradition, which is the skill of contrasting light and dark colors (Met Museum). Goya also depicts soldiers and barbarians and displays every different scene during the war. This main drawing featured above from The Disasters of War series is Bury them and Be Silent (History of the World). Where a man and woman are portrayed as weeping for their people as all the dead bodies lie amongst them. The painting depicts the death war brings and the sorrowful tone it results in. 

   

       This painting is significant to my theme because it illustrates how over time each artist sees the negative effects of war and expresses their feelings of war differently. From the Thirty Years' War, The Spanish Civil War, WWI and WWII, it is important to recognize how each painting from each war begins to follow the same theme. This is because the consequences of war weigh heavily with each unique artists' depiction. It also ties with my theme of how war effects societies and people world-wide and how it impacts the art of that period. 

"History of the World". (2011, April 24.) Miseries of War. <http://all-history.org/220.html> 

"Met Museum" (2011, April 24).  Francisco Goya (1746-1828). http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/goya/hd_goya.htm

"The Disasters of War". (2011, May 9). Wikipedia. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Disasters_of_War>.


"Bury them and be silent" (image) https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrnGWiUXl3cfEXXn0eH8uULqiRirlwf9j-K91aPhy8C-o3Z37KBZQQ35CxE-y5I3QimBi5CPYyMoEw4oHTGKotqY4srjQp2gbMW0i-rbs93PGJGTUq40x5e41jlPn4gpd5X3wqgR-fJh9c/s320/Goya+Bury+Them+and+Be+Silent+1810-1815.jpg

The Miseries of War by Jacques Callot

       The Miseries of War also known as La Vie des Soldats, by Jacques Callot, was painted from 1632-1633 (Encyclopedia Britannica). The painting occurred during a succession of wars fought by various nations throughout Europe known as The Thirty Years’ War (History of the World). Reasons for the war include religious, territorial, and dynastical values; which in the end resulted only in disparaging battles throughout Europe and transformed the map of Europe forever (Encyclopedia Britannica). These battlefields took place throughout Europe, where the people suffered most as a result of war. 

      The drawing is from a series of prints by Callot who portrayed the devastation of war. This drawing above is called Plundering and Burning a Village, which illustrates the crimes committed by soldiers of opposing parties (History of the World). In the drawing there are several techniques Callot used; for example,  first he illustrates the war in broad daylight so the painting is not dark but clearly seen (History of Art). Second, he uses a wide-angle perspective to show the entire seen to the viewer and third, each person, object, or animal is meticulously drawn in order for the viewer to take in all the little and big details. Lastly, Callot illustrates the scene as a whole not focusing on displaying  the emotion of the faces, but rather focusing on the tone as a whole. In order for the viewer to see the destruction the Spanish army had caused. Jaques Callot's technique is different from other artists because he emphasizes on the misfortunes war brings and the "big picture" over displaying the emotions of people, whose town is being destroyed.

     Through this drawing The Impact of War is represented because war caused the villages of the French to be destroyed and as a consequence affected their society and people severely. The point of view towards war is blatantly depicted through illustrating war as a misfortune over the success it brings to a country. Here the  destruction of war is portrayed, but is stylistically different from future artists like Goya and Dali who focused on bloody events and death. The too were influenced by Jacques Callot's series of war  drawings that were of Callot's homeland.

"History of the World". (2011, April 24.) Miseries of War. <http://all-history.org/220.html>.

"Encyclopedia Britannica".(2011, May 10.) Etching Encyclopedia Britannica Online. <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/193841/etching>.

"History of Art". (2011, April 23) Baroque and Rococo. <http://www.all-art.org/history252-13.html>.

"The miseries of War" (image) http://media.agnsw.org/collection_images/Alpha/DO10.1963.7%23%23S.jpg