Weg met het militairisme 1924

Curator: Here we have Chris Lebeau’s “Weg met het militarisme”, which translates to "Away with Militarism," a woodcut print from 1924 now held at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: Well, the stark contrast and exaggerated figure immediately convey a sense of protest, wouldn’t you say? The dynamism in the leaning posture and overall design just pulsates with urgency. Curator: Indeed. Lebeau uses the inherent qualities of the woodcut medium—those strong lines, the stark black and white—to heighten the image’s expressive power. Look at the meticulous carving in the cobblestones and how it emphasizes depth in the figure’s movements. Editor: Speaking of technique, the fact that this is a woodcut is paramount. This method speaks to mass production. This wasn’t meant for an elite gallery; it was designed for broad distribution and visibility— a political tool employing material. Curator: Precisely! The Expressionist style also serves the anti-war theme effectively. Consider the soldier's face, etched with anguish. His posture signals fatigue or perhaps defiance; that leg lift breaks ranks, doesn't it? Editor: Absolutely. And observe how the repeated forms of the marching soldiers in the background suggest dehumanization, as if cogs in a destructive machine. The flame motif above seems to engulf their rigid formation. What is most jarring is how war erases any element of selfhood or free choice through the sheer material necessity and physical sacrifice of those fighting. Curator: Furthermore, consider the lettering. “Weg met het militarisme” looms above, an assertion rather than an invitation, its typeface deliberately jarring. The slogan reinforces Lebeau's commitment to his ideology. Editor: It is as if this piece seeks to interrupt the status quo; its agitational form suggests it sought an intervention into social practices, thus turning what we typically think of as an artistic act on its head. Lebeau mobilizes his means, quite consciously. Curator: A powerful statement against the horrors of war, indeed. Through careful composition and masterful use of medium, Lebeau makes a case for pacifism that continues to resonate. Editor: Exactly. What we find interesting here is how deeply embedded material reality and art's message have proven to be—perhaps more powerful now than ever.