Aufbruch zu den Freiheitskriegen 1908

"Aufbruch zu den Freiheitskriegen" (Departure for the Wars of Liberation) is a 1908 charcoal drawing by Ferdinand Hodler, a prominent Swiss Symbolist painter known for his distinctive style. The artwork, now housed at the Städel Museum, captures a dynamic scene of soldiers preparing for battle, their figures rendered with expressive lines and gestures. Hodler masterfully portrays the anticipation and tension of the moment, highlighting the individual's role within a collective purpose. The drawing's rough yet evocative style echoes the turbulent historical context of the Napoleonic Wars and serves as a testament to the artist's ability to translate complex human emotions into visual form.