Image Of War Essay
The depiction of war is a common subject for artists to embark on because it speaks to the conventions of society during contentious times, but with each one, a different image emerges. John Trumbull’s The Death of General Warren at the Battle of Bunker Hill, June 17, 1775 provides a romanticized war of honorable sacrifice and an overall sense of hope. Timothy O’Sullivan’s A Harvest of Death at Gettysburg, July, 1863 narrates war on the complete other side of the spectrum with an un-idealized image of death, destruction, yet a twinge of hope. Trumbull’s representation is that of the traditional, romantic idea of war. The American Revolutionary War appears as a war of heroism. Light illuminates the painting, and intense, colorful hues splatter
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it. As a result, the battle materializes as something not typical of reality. It is like an exhibition of a war story found in an old book. The light embeds a compelling element of pleasure and honor placed upon the soldiers when fighting for their nation. Additionally, a halo of light bathes the deceased General Warren, and he remains under the state flag, which suggests that it is an honor to die at battle. The crowd surrounding the General narrates an image that people are gathering to remember him in death and pay homage to his sacrifice. Although the concept of heroism and honor are present, the fully uniformed and astute appearance of the soldiers plays at the idea that this was a battle of the gentry and upper class. The common man would not be able to afford the prim attire of royal red coats; consequently, it was not a fight for the commoner. Behind the General and his entourage is the raging on of fighting and the inclusion of British forces, which describes a sense that the war continues on as an effort of revenge. Trumbull illustrates an idealized war where soldiers appear to fight for what is right. Trumbull includes a symbolic Native American hiding behind his master. This implies that the American Revolutionary War was a collaborative effort with Natives fighting for the success of America as a free nation. It was also an effort to propagandize the war; audiences could see that the war was causing support from an unlikely source. Moreover, all of the paintings that Trumbull did of the American Revolutionary War contained suggestions of hope and success for the nation. Every image had the aura that war was a beautiful act and not something that produced destruction. One explanation for Trumbull’s romanticized image of this battle is that the Warren family commissioned it. Therefore, the family would wish for remembrance of General Warren as a hero who died for his country's prosperous future. This and many of Trumbull’s other paintings became iconic images of the American Revolutionary War, which is similar to O’Sullivan’s photographs. A Harvest of Death at Gettysburg, July, 1863 photographs the unattractive realities of combat as if the viewer is on the battlefield.
O’Sullivan’s primary goal in his series of photographs was to challenge the romanticized image of war and expose the public to the resulting destruction of battle. He paints the American Civil War as an act not associated with heroism but with death. A foggy backdrop frames the bodies, and they are fairly far along in the decomposition process. So, the audience’s eyes go immediately to the deceased and continue on into the never ending distance, evoking the idea that there is a line of bodies that goes on past the picture plane. The Civil War has only left behind a multitude of corpses; war only kills, and there is nothing else that war is good for. Audiences look upon this photo and see the horrific, deadly results of war. The horseman that dominates the horizon is a symbol for the grim reaper, a character coming to reap the bodies in a non-heroic manner. No living landscape exists; the nature is dead, dried up, and trampled on by the soldiers, destroying any semblance of the living. O’Sullivan’s use of a sepia hue exemplifies this grim scene. Even though O’Sullivan provides a representation of the American Civil War that is of horror, he embeds a hidden sense of
hope. O’Sullivan’s allusion to a harvest in the title suggests a rebirth or renewal. There is a harvest of the bodies, and their deaths will bring about a regrowth of society and the environment. It is a symbol for hope that the nation will be okay after war ravaged and tested it. Additionally, the act of photographing these bodies deploys a memorialization concept. The deceased soldiers will forever remain in the picture plane, and audiences will forever look on in remembrance of what can happen because of bloodshed. O’Sullivan and Trumbull’s depictions of war in A Harvest of Death at Gettysburg, July, 1863 and The Death of General Warren at the Battle of Bunker Hill, June 17, 1775 display a glimmer of hope for the future. However, O’Sullivan’s illustration of the American Civil War is that of the horrors of war while Trumbull showcases the American Revolutionary War as one of heroism and enthusiasm for the opportunity to defend a nation.
it. As a result, the battle materializes as something not typical of reality. It is like an exhibition of a war story found in an old book. The light embeds a compelling element of pleasure and honor placed upon the soldiers when fighting for their nation. Additionally, a halo of light bathes the deceased General Warren, and he remains under the state flag, which suggests that it is an honor to die at battle. The crowd surrounding the General narrates an image that people are gathering to remember him in death and pay homage to his sacrifice. Although the concept of heroism and honor are present, the fully uniformed and astute appearance of the soldiers plays at the idea that this was a battle of the gentry and upper class. The common man would not be able to afford the prim attire of royal red coats; consequently, it was not a fight for the commoner. Behind the General and his entourage is the raging on of fighting and the inclusion of British forces, which describes a sense that the war continues on as an effort of revenge. Trumbull illustrates an idealized war where soldiers appear to fight for what is right. Trumbull includes a symbolic Native American hiding behind his master. This implies that the American Revolutionary War was a collaborative effort with Natives fighting for the success of America as a free nation. It was also an effort to propagandize the war; audiences could see that the war was causing support from an unlikely source. Moreover, all of the paintings that Trumbull did of the American Revolutionary War contained suggestions of hope and success for the nation. Every image had the aura that war was a beautiful act and not something that produced destruction. One explanation for Trumbull’s romanticized image of this battle is that the Warren family commissioned it. Therefore, the family would wish for remembrance of General Warren as a hero who died for his country's prosperous future. This and many of Trumbull’s other paintings became iconic images of the American Revolutionary War, which is similar to O’Sullivan’s photographs. A Harvest of Death at Gettysburg, July, 1863 photographs the unattractive realities of combat as if the viewer is on the battlefield.
O’Sullivan’s primary goal in his series of photographs was to challenge the romanticized image of war and expose the public to the resulting destruction of battle. He paints the American Civil War as an act not associated with heroism but with death. A foggy backdrop frames the bodies, and they are fairly far along in the decomposition process. So, the audience’s eyes go immediately to the deceased and continue on into the never ending distance, evoking the idea that there is a line of bodies that goes on past the picture plane. The Civil War has only left behind a multitude of corpses; war only kills, and there is nothing else that war is good for. Audiences look upon this photo and see the horrific, deadly results of war. The horseman that dominates the horizon is a symbol for the grim reaper, a character coming to reap the bodies in a non-heroic manner. No living landscape exists; the nature is dead, dried up, and trampled on by the soldiers, destroying any semblance of the living. O’Sullivan’s use of a sepia hue exemplifies this grim scene. Even though O’Sullivan provides a representation of the American Civil War that is of horror, he embeds a hidden sense of
hope. O’Sullivan’s allusion to a harvest in the title suggests a rebirth or renewal. There is a harvest of the bodies, and their deaths will bring about a regrowth of society and the environment. It is a symbol for hope that the nation will be okay after war ravaged and tested it. Additionally, the act of photographing these bodies deploys a memorialization concept. The deceased soldiers will forever remain in the picture plane, and audiences will forever look on in remembrance of what can happen because of bloodshed. O’Sullivan and Trumbull’s depictions of war in A Harvest of Death at Gettysburg, July, 1863 and The Death of General Warren at the Battle of Bunker Hill, June 17, 1775 display a glimmer of hope for the future. However, O’Sullivan’s illustration of the American Civil War is that of the horrors of war while Trumbull showcases the American Revolutionary War as one of heroism and enthusiasm for the opportunity to defend a nation.