Bellum, War 

Curator: Let's consider this captivating, albeit unfinished, work titled "Bellum, War" by Pierre Puvis de Chavannes. It is executed in gouache, quite possibly a preparatory study for a larger fresco or mural project. Editor: It hits you right in the gut, doesn't it? The greyed out tonality immediately evokes desolation. The scene feels suffocated, even dreamlike – as if one has stepped into a mournful memory. It looks ancient, the end of something big, something terrible. Curator: Yes, Puvis de Chavannes certainly evokes a world steeped in classical tragedy here. We see figures reminiscent of ancient friezes – classically draped, semi-nude, frozen in attitudes of grief, captivity, or death. This aligns with the late 19th-century revival of interest in classical aesthetics. Editor: And what's interesting to me is how muted it all is. Even the fiery destruction feels muffled, shrouded. I find it unsettling, because you want there to be anger, rage, but instead there’s only this numb resignation. The light on the body is pale, pasty, and lifeless, not in glory but decay, as in a decomposing mural... a Pompeii in slow motion. Curator: Indeed. "Bellum" is rich in allegorical potential. Given the historical context—the rise of nationalism and militarism in Europe at the time—it can be viewed as a commentary on the destructive nature of conflict and its tragic toll on civilian populations. Perhaps a statement about universal suffering throughout all of History. Editor: Exactly! This feels eternal. I almost wonder, with the stark stillness and obvious artificiality of these figures, is this meant to act like some morbid theater piece put on display for a war room, as if it’s there to almost satiate these violent men who cause destruction of innocent human life on this level...almost for their pleasure. Is there anything truly noble, worth celebrating? What could possibly be redemptive in these war fields of death, with children and infants lying among dead bodies. Curator: These considerations offer complex readings and shed new light on how history informs our interpretation. The unfinished nature only serves to heighten the sense of incompleteness and lingering questions that surround all conflict. Editor: True. This gouache sketch really forces you to dwell in the disquiet. To think about the ongoing cycles of brutality. Ultimately, it's a sobering work to experience.