Red Scene 1936

Wyndham Lewis made this oil painting, Red Scene, within the socio-political context of post-World War I Europe. This artwork seems to capture the alienation and dehumanization that many felt during this period. Lewis's faceless figures evoke a sense of loss of individual identity, as if the trauma of war has stripped away their humanity. The muted palette and the angular forms might reflect the emotional landscape of a society scarred by conflict. But why title this work 'Red Scene?' Is Lewis suggesting something about the political ideologies emerging at the time? Perhaps, by removing individuality, he critiques the rising tide of collectivism, where the individual is subsumed into the group. This can feel like such a personal and lonely painting. Lewis’s work asks us to consider how society's grand narratives, especially during times of upheaval, impact individual lives and identities.