The Objective of War c. 1914 - 1919

"The Objective of War," created between 1914 and 1919 by French artist Jean-Louis Forain, captures the bleak reality of warfare. The piece, executed in charcoal and chalk, features a soldier kneeling on the barren landscape, his gaze fixed on a distant figure. The starkness of the scene, with its minimal detail, emphasizes the soldier's isolation and the futility of conflict. Forain, known for his satirical works, uses this drawing to comment on the psychological toll of war, offering a poignant portrayal of human suffering amidst a vast, desolate landscape.