Drummer Boys 1935

"Drummer Boys" (1935) is a stark and powerful lithograph by Hugo Gellert, a prominent American social realist artist. The artwork depicts a dense field of white crosses, a symbolic representation of the countless lives lost in war. Gellert's use of stark black and white, and the repetitive pattern of crosses, creates a feeling of overwhelming grief and loss, a poignant reminder of the human cost of conflict. The artwork is a powerful anti-war statement, reflecting the artist's social and political beliefs and likely influenced by his experience during the First World War.