The War in the Drawings by Jean-Louis Forain in 1914–1918
Keywords:
War drawings; First World War; war interpretation; Rembrandt van Rijn; Francisco Goya.Abstract
In the article, the author considered the interpretation of the war in the drawings of the French painter-caricaturist Jean-Louis Forain (1852–1931). The author problematized the artist's figure by offering a controversial interpretation of one of his most famous works as well as argued with the widespread opinion about the complete subordination of Forain's military works to the propaganda aspirations. The author identified that some of Forain's war drawings contain reminiscences of Rembrandt and Goya. Based on the analysis of these works, it is possible to demonstrate that Forain's interpretation of the war turns out to be much more complex than the unifying censorship prescriptions and, in some respects, runs counter to the propaganda discourse. Referring to timeless religious meanings and categories, citing the Bible, Forain presented a deep reflection on the phenomenon of the war and its interpretation on several levels. Forain also refused to completely demonize the enemy, admitting that a common soldier can become a victim of the government machine. Thus, having demonstrated the versatility and multidimensionality of Forain's art of the war period, the author of the article outlined a new vector for the study of his drawings of 1914–1918.
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