Gateway into Germany: The Maas in Flood near the Berg Bridge 1944

Editor: So this is Anthony Gross's "Gateway into Germany: The Maas in Flood near the Berg Bridge." It's a watercolour and pen drawing. It feels quite bleak, almost like a stage set for something ominous. What strikes you most about this piece? Curator: Considering Gross was a war artist, this piece speaks volumes about the Allied advance. The flooded landscape isn’t just an obstacle; it's a deliberate act of war, a denial of access. Note the strategic destruction and the way it’s rendered almost casually, highlighting the unsettling normalization of devastation. The jeep is a symbol, isn't it? Editor: Yes, a symbol of military movement. But isn't it also vulnerable, stuck in the mud? Curator: Precisely. It represents the precariousness of power, the contingent nature of victory. It's a powerful statement on the physical and moral quagmire of war, challenging any glorification of conquest. Editor: I see it now. It's less about triumph, more about the grim reality. Curator: Indeed. Gross compels us to confront the complexities and contradictions inherent in conflict. This work asks us about the true cost of such "gateways".