The Coward, Cosmopolitan illustration 1952

Edwin Georgi's "The Coward" (1952) is a striking illustration that captures the psychological toll of warfare. The artwork depicts a soldier manning a machine gun amidst a fiery battlefield, while a ghostly, angelic figure of a woman appears in a luminous halo above. This contrast of earthly violence and celestial peace evokes the internal conflict experienced by soldiers during combat. The use of vibrant colors, particularly the golden glow surrounding the woman, further emphasizes the surreal and emotional nature of the scene. This iconic image exemplifies the genre of war illustration, exploring the human cost of conflict through a blend of realism and symbolism.