Seated Soldier with Head in Hand c. 20th century

Maximilien Luce made this small drawing, 'Seated Soldier with Head in Hand,' with crayon, and it's a poignant little thing. The marks are raw, immediate—you get the sense of Luce working quickly, trying to capture a feeling more than a likeness. It’s about the process, the act of bearing witness. The texture is everything here. Look at the way the crayon scratches and smudges, creating shadows and depth with such simple means. The soldier’s face, supported by his hand, is a study in exhaustion and despair. There is a real economy of line, the way the artist uses just a few strokes to convey the weight of the figure, the burden of war. That circular scribble to the lower left looks like a discarded helmet or maybe a skull - either way, the gesture is both unresolved and loaded with meaning. Luce's social realism reminds me a little of Kathe Kollwitz - that same sense of empathy. There’s no glamour, just the stark reality of human suffering. And in its ambiguity, it resonates far beyond its time.