Soldier's Family Encamped c. 1818

Horace Vernet created this print, *Soldier's Family Encamped*, in the first half of the 19th century. Vernet came from a family of artists who, like him, served the French state. Here, Vernet shows us a scene of military life, but rather than depicting battle, he focuses on its effects on ordinary people. We see a soldier with his wife and child. Their clothes are worn, and they huddle together for warmth. Vernet uses the visual codes of realism to portray them, but is he making a political comment? In France at this time, the institution of the military was glorified as a source of national pride. Through attention to detail, such as the family's ragged clothes and the barren landscape, Vernet evokes sympathy for the human cost of war. To fully understand the image, we might research the history of French military campaigns during Vernet's lifetime. Was he a critic of the French state, or was this image intended to inspire patriotic sentiment for the sacrifices made by ordinary soldiers and their families? The meaning of art always depends on its social and institutional context.