War 1894

Editor: This is Henri Rousseau’s “War,” a lithograph from 1894, currently at the Art Institute of Chicago. There’s an unsettling energy in its frenzied lines and stark imagery, like a nightmarish fairy tale. How do you interpret this work, especially given its title? Curator: "War," indeed. I see this lithograph as a potent critique of power structures, wrapped in Rousseau's characteristic "naive" style. The female figure astride the horse, brandishing a sword and torch, isn’t a romanticized heroine, but a terrifying personification of war itself. Consider the sociopolitical context of France in the late 19th century. Editor: What about it? Curator: Colonial expansion was in full swing, justified by notions of racial and cultural superiority. Could Rousseau be subverting this narrative, portraying "war" as a destructive force riding roughshod over humanity, literally trampling bodies beneath its horse? The fact that the victims are nude complicates the reading, suggesting vulnerability and a loss of innocence, even. Editor: So, the 'naivety' might be intentional, a way of simplifying the narrative to expose war’s brutal core? Curator: Precisely. The dreamlike quality distances us, allowing for a clearer-eyed assessment of war's impact. Who benefits? Who suffers? These are questions the artwork seems to be asking, wouldn't you agree? Editor: It does make you consider those questions differently than a more obviously 'critical' artwork might. Curator: By using the "naive" style, Rousseau might also have made his criticism more palatable. It's easy to dismiss the work at first glance, and easier for difficult and important messages to penetrate. Editor: This has completely shifted my perception of the print! Thank you for unpacking that. I didn't consider Rousseau's social commentary beneath the surface. Curator: Art constantly demands engagement, doesn’t it?