Terugkeer van een gewonde soldaat c. 1854 - 1887

Alexander Ver Huell made this watercolor, titled 'Terugkeer van een gewonde soldaat', which translates to 'Return of a Wounded Soldier'. Painted in the 19th century, the image invokes the complex relationship between the wounded body and constructions of masculinity. The central figure is a soldier, his arm draped over the shoulder of another man for support. Yet, his gaze is downcast, his body weakened, challenging traditional representations of soldiers as stoic heroes. The artist invites us to consider the emotional and physical toll of war. What does it mean to return not in triumph, but in need? Here, vulnerability is on display, a stark departure from idealized portrayals of martial strength. In this disruption of norms, Ver Huell opens a space to recognize a fuller spectrum of human experience.