Oradour-sur-Glane 1945

"Oradour-sur-Glane" is a 1945 artwork by Jean Fautrier, a French artist known for his expressive and often somber paintings. This piece, created shortly after the tragic massacre at Oradour-sur-Glane, is a powerful testament to the atrocities of war. The image depicts a ghostly white figure, seemingly a human form, rendered in thick impasto, against a dark, somber background. Fautrier's use of textured, layered paint creates a sense of both vulnerability and resilience, mirroring the tragedy and the enduring human spirit in the face of unspeakable acts. The work is a poignant example of Art Informel, a movement that emerged in postwar Europe, characterized by its spontaneous, gestural mark-making and focus on raw emotion.