Étude Pour Le Monument Aux Morts; L’homme Avec Une Couronne Mortuaire De Laurier 

Henri Martin created this oil on canvas, "Etude Pour Le Monument Aux Morts; L’homme Avec Une Couronne Mortuaire De Laurier," as a study for a war memorial. It likely dates from the interwar period in France, and that is crucial to how we interpret it. The figure’s downcast eyes and the funereal wreath speak to the staggering losses suffered by France during the First World War. War memorials became a common feature of the built environment throughout Europe at this time. The question of what these monuments should look like was hotly debated. Should they glorify war, mourn the dead, or promote peace? Martin’s study suggests a turn toward quiet contemplation. His use of Impressionist techniques softens the image and evokes a mood of solemnity. To understand this work better, it would be useful to research the politics of commemoration in France between the wars. The ways in which artists responded to the unprecedented scale of death and devastation in the early twentieth century, speaks to the social conditions that shape artistic production.