Auteuil 1870. 1870

Editor: Here we have Isidore Pils' "Auteuil, 1870", a watercolor painting. The soldiers in the scene seem almost… worn, maybe resigned. What strikes you most about this piece? Curator: Well, focusing on the material realities, it's fascinating to consider the production of this image in the context of the Franco-Prussian War. Pils, an established academic painter, chose watercolor - a relatively quick and portable medium. Why not a grand history painting on canvas? Editor: Maybe he wanted to document a grittier, more immediate view of the war than what official commissions allowed. Curator: Exactly. Watercolor allowed him to respond rapidly, blurring the lines between high art and reportage. Look at the unfinished quality of the background. Is that laziness, or is it a deliberate commentary on the disruptive nature of conflict, the way it tears apart established structures – artistic conventions included? Editor: I see what you mean. And the materials themselves – the pigments, the paper – become almost like evidence. Do you think Pils was deliberately questioning academic painting traditions? Curator: Absolutely. The accessibility of watercolor versus the expensive, time-consuming nature of oil painting is crucial. He’s engaging with the socio-economic realities of artistic production and consumption. He democratizes image making by employing the watercolour, placing himself on the side of ordinary people during war. What’s left out of history painting are, after all, these resting moments that are full of anticipation and mundane boredom. Editor: It’s interesting how focusing on the materials and context really shifts how you interpret the painting’s meaning. Curator: Precisely. Considering artistic production alongside socio-historical contexts always gives a fresh vision to understanding any piece.