Poniatowski’s Last Charge at Leipzig 1912

Editor: This painting by Richard Caton Woodville depicts Poniatowski’s Last Charge at Leipzig. It's brimming with movement and chaos. What can you tell me about its context? Curator: Woodville's painting captures not just a battle, but a crisis of European identity. Consider the Polish prince, Poniatowski, fighting for Napoleon, a figure promising liberation but ultimately representing a new form of domination. How does this portrayal serve to perpetuate or challenge existing power structures? Editor: I hadn't thought about it that way. It makes me consider how war art can be used as propaganda. Thanks for this context! Curator: Indeed. Considering those structures, the image also reveals how nationalism and militarism have been historically glorified. It's a complex, and often troubling, relationship.