Shadows 1944

Kerr Eby created this lithograph, Shadows, during or shortly after the First World War. It depicts a scene of weary soldiers and a crumbling building, evoking the grim realities of modern warfare. This image speaks volumes about the social conditions that shape artistic production. Consider the context: World War One was a cataclysmic event that shattered previous understandings of civilization and progress. Eby, as a war artist, felt compelled to represent the conflict's impact on both the landscape and the human psyche. The ruined building and exhausted soldiers symbolize the physical and emotional toll of war. Was this a self-consciously progressive statement about the war? By examining letters, diaries, and other primary sources, we can gain a deeper understanding of how artists responded to the unprecedented horrors of the early 20th century. Art provides a window into the social and institutional contexts that shaped their work.