The field artillery of the first provincial division attacking Kinchow Possibly 1894

This photograph, taken by the Ordnance Survey Office, captures the field artillery of the first provincial division attacking Kinchow. Here, smoke plumes billow across the landscape, a stark symbol of conflict. This motif of smoke—once a signal of hearth and home—finds its echo throughout history, transmuted into an emblem of destruction. Think of the volcanic eruptions in Pompeii, captured in vivid frescoes, or the industrial smog that choked the cities of the Industrial Revolution. Each instance carries its own weight of cultural anxiety. Consider how smoke has shifted in meaning over time, from sacred offering to harbinger of death. Such a symbol, charged with emotional resonance, touches something deep within our collective memory, triggering subconscious associations with chaos and loss, reminding us of the cyclical nature of destruction and renewal.