The Execution of Varlin 1917

Maximilien Luce painted 'The Execution of Varlin', an image teeming with people and awash in blues, reds, and greens. What strikes me first is the energetic brushwork, the way Luce applies paint with short, deliberate strokes. It's like he's building up the scene bit by bit. Looking closer, you see the earth tones in the landscape, the somber blues of the uniforms. But there's also this incredible light, this sort of glow, especially around the figures on the ground. It’s a visceral response to something terrible. I think of Goya, and the cool way he painted similar scenes of war and violence. And that figure kneeling near the front. See how Luce uses thin, transparent washes of color to create a sense of depth in his clothing? It's as if that single kneeling figure contains the weight of everything else happening. It's a reminder that even in the darkest of moments, beauty, however fleeting, can still emerge.