The attack of the mountain artillery train near Fongheatun, W. of Port Arthur Possibly 1894

This photograph, captured by the Ordnance Survey Office, freezes a moment in time during the attack of the mountain artillery train near Fongheatun. The image vibrates with a raw depiction of conflict. Dominating the scene, the artillery plumes erupt as symbolic gestures of war, violence and power. These puffs of smoke, though fleeting, evoke a sense of enduring destruction and the profound disruption of human affairs. They resonate with similar depictions of smoke and fire in war-themed artworks throughout history. In Renaissance paintings of battle scenes, the smoke often veils the chaos, adding to the sense of the sublime intertwined with horror, a motif ever recurring through time. Consider how the motif of smoke has morphed - from signals of ancient communication to symbols of modern warfare. Its persistent reappearance in art suggests a collective subconscious grappling with themes of destruction and transformation. It's a cyclical reminder of how our efforts to assert dominance leave an indelible mark, a sort of visual echo, that continues to reverberate through time.