The Sinews of War 

Curator: This detailed print, "The Sinews of War", comes to us from the hand of Gustave Doré. The image depicts Pope Sixtus IV supporting the levying of funds for a crusade. What are your immediate thoughts? Editor: The stark contrast immediately grabs attention, the interplay of light and shadow almost overwhelms the figures. The artist utilizes line work that adds a lot of textures, yet, it has a distinct formal unity overall. Curator: Yes, the use of stark contrasts and sharp lines certainly evokes a sense of drama. Thinking about context, this work emerges from a period steeped in religious conflict, revealing the political dimensions of faith, highlighting how religious institutions often intersect with, and profit from, societal conflict. Editor: Looking closer at the composition, there is a clear distinction between the background and the foreground, adding dynamism and volume. How does the composition lead your reading of its cultural meaning? Curator: Well, I am particularly struck by the children present in the center. It highlights the ways in which wars, often conceived and executed by those in power, depend on the coerced consent, or sacrifice, of the most vulnerable within society. War requires buy-in at every level, particularly monetary. In my mind, it is the heart of Doré's social critique. Editor: I see what you are saying, though to me the faces lack a degree of individual emotion; rather, they represent a structural depiction of society at war. And that in and of itself emphasizes this dramatic opposition in the print. Curator: That tension between the structural and the individual does speak to a key conflict here. Perhaps what we are observing, however, isn't an intentional removal of affect, but rather it speaks to the fungibility of human beings within capitalist war machines. Editor: That's interesting, your argument is thought provoking. Thank you. Curator: Of course. Seeing the dynamics of power and critique play out across Doré's art always offers compelling reflections.