Combles 1917

James McBey made this pen and ink drawing, titled "Combles," in 1917. It depicts the French village of Combles during World War I, reduced to rubble. McBey served as an official war artist for the British military. This image creates meaning through its stark visual depiction of destruction. The skeletal remains of buildings, rendered with quick, nervous lines, evoke the violence of trench warfare. Consider how the landscape itself bears the scars of conflict. McBey’s choice of subject matter is not just a record of war, but also a commentary on its impact on civilian life and the environment. He made this drawing at a time when artists were grappling with how to represent the unprecedented scale and horror of modern warfare. To understand this work better, we can consult military archives and historical accounts of the Battle of the Somme, of which Combles was a part. By examining such resources, we come to appreciate how the meaning of art is inextricably linked to its historical context.