Bee The Menin Road Analysis

All the world’s a canvas, and all the men and women merely the colors; They have their debuts and their disappearances into the background, and red in its time takes on many jobs; the coloration of a red sunrise of a wartime morning, and then the crimson blood of wounded soldiers bearing arms against brothers, and the last scene of all, that ends this strange eventful history, is scarlet dusk bathing the war-torn battlefield as it dips beyond the horizon.

Over the thousands of years, art has irrefutably been the most accurate technique to ever capture crucial moments in human history. From ancient cave paintings to the impressionism movement, all the way to present-day graffiti, art has been there, recording these significant turning points in history through physical representations that we continue to find, observe, and interpret. Art gives us the perfect way to seize these moments and lets us peek into a world that our minds can only imagine. That is why art has
been such a fascinating outcome of World War I; generations later, we are still able to get a glimpse of the tension, the terror, and the brutal aftermath of the worldwide conflict that would ultimately change the face of the world forever.

The Menin Road by Paul Nash pictures a devastating Belgian landscape.
Dead tree trunks rise from the muddy ground and clouds of smoke obscure the view of the background. The searchlights piercing through the murky clouds give off a sense of lostness, but may also signify that among the barren wasteland, there is still a sign of humanity and hope. This painting exceptionally illustrates how the war changed beautiful, innocent meadows and fields into grotesque and frightening wastelands.

Paths of Glory by C.R.W. Nevinson carries an ironic title. “Glory” give off the image of victory, goodness, and light, but the painting conveys quite the opposite theme. It depicts two presumably dead soldiers lying in the battlefield dirt and mud, their faces are obscured. But the rest of their bodies seem to merge with the murky soil that threatens to swallow up the entire scene. Irony is implied once again through the stark contrast between the soldiers lifelessly laying on the dull ground and the cheery, blue
sky.

Women’s Canteen at Phoenix Works, Bradford by Flora Lion shows us a typical scene at canteen for women munition workers. Since the majority of men were drafted into the war, women back home had to take up jobs in weapon factories. Therefore the unemployment rate at this time was extremely low. Unfortunately, the work that these employees had to do was not only exhausting, but dangerous. Workers handled toxic chemicals without proper protection, and sometimes explosives would be accidently ignited; factory explosions would injure and kill thousands of workers over the course of the war. In this painting, the workers’ fatigued demeanors and slouchy postures express the emotional impact of the war and their tiring jobs. While other works display the happenings of the battlefield, this painting shows us the mental and emotional effects on the workers back home.

The Pantheon de la Guerre, translating to “Pantheon of the War,” was completed in 1918 by about 130 French painters. It was a great representation of utmost nationalism and pride among the Allied powers. It depicted over 6,000 figures ranging from French to British to Russian, all bearing flags to represent their respective countries. Since the US joined the war relatively late, a portion of the original painting had to be erased and an American section was added in. As the piece traveled from place to place and was sold at many auctions, it began to tear and rip since it was so big. When it made it to America, the painting was not only patched up, but also slightly modified; notable American figures like FDR and Truman were added in, and a bouquet was painted at the feet of Woodrow Wilson. The piece meticulously captures how the war was a combined effort and just how many people of different backgrounds came together to defeat the Central powers. Since this painting doesn’t depict any fighting, only rejoicing, it’s not a truly accurate representation of the actual battles, bloodshed, and loss that made up World War I. However, the painting does give the viewer a sense of relief and pride as they see countries coming together and soldiers confidently waving their flags of the Allied powers.