The End – Verdun c. 1916

"The End - Verdun" is a powerful etching by French artist Jean-Louis Forain, created around 1916. It depicts a fallen soldier, lying face down near a signpost marking Verdun, a site of intense fighting in World War I. The scene is rendered with a stark realism and a sense of overwhelming loss. The artist's use of quick, gestural lines emphasizes the brutal reality of war and the senselessness of the bloodshed. Forain's work captures the stark reality of the battlefields and reflects the widespread grief and loss that characterized the era. This work is a poignant reminder of the tragic cost of war and its impact on individuals and society.