Cannon by a Bulwark 1849

Carl Friedrich Heinrich Werner made this watercolor entitled ‘Cannon by a Bulwark’ in 1849 in Rome. Werner’s watercolor captures a cannon, an object of war, in a moment of potential stillness. The cannon’s materiality is cast iron, a substance made by melting iron and pouring it into a mold. Notice the immense work involved in the production process: from the mining of raw materials to the skilled labor of the cannon maker. The placement of the cannon in this artwork is also interesting. Nestled amidst makeshift fortifications of wood and earth, the cannon almost seems to be returning back to the earth. Werner challenges us to consider the social context of the armaments depicted, and to reflect on the relationship between modes of production and the societies that deploy them. By emphasizing material, making, and context, we gain a richer understanding of this watercolor, moving beyond traditional distinctions between fine art and craft.