The Hat of Marshall Foch c. 1914 - 1919

Editor: This drawing by Jean-Louis Forain, aptly titled "The Hat of Marshall Foch" from around 1914-1919, is simply executed using pen and ink. I’m struck by the economy of line, but also a bit puzzled by the relationship between the man and the hat on the ground. What story do you think it tells, from your perspective? Curator: This drawing is very interesting from a materialist point of view. The swiftness of the pen strokes, the starkness of the ink - they speak of wartime austerity and a need for immediate documentation. Look at how Forain contrasts the crispness of the General's attire with the almost discarded hat; this highlights not just the status of the man but the objectification of war itself. The hat, a mass-produced item signifying rank and power, is now just a thing. Don’t you think this speaks volumes about the mechanization and dehumanization of war? Editor: That’s fascinating, I hadn’t thought of the hat as representing the larger scale of industrialized war! It does feel deliberately discarded now that you mention it. Curator: Precisely. It begs the question: Who produced that hat? What were their working conditions like? The glory of Marshall Foch rests on the unseen labor that provided him, and by extension, the war effort, with its material needs. Editor: That gives me a totally different perspective. So, it's less about the General's portrait, and more about deconstructing the systems of production and labor that underpin his authority. Curator: Exactly! It is an analysis of power seen through the lens of its material creation. Editor: That's a very insightful point of view to consider, seeing how material informs history. Thanks! Curator: Indeed! Analyzing art this way allows a glimpse into social dynamics hidden in plain sight.