Explosion in the Trench. Illustration for I.Dneprovsky's Novel 'Phalange' 1932

Anatol Petrytsky created this illustration for I.Dneprovsky's Novel 'Phalange' using monochrome printmaking techniques. Born in Ukraine in 1895, Petrytsky lived through a period marked by war, revolution, and political upheaval, all of which deeply shaped his artistic vision. This image captures the chaos and violence of trench warfare, a hallmark of World War I. Limbs and weaponry are scattered in an explosion of graphic intensity. There is a sense of disorientation and dehumanization, reducing soldiers to mere body parts amidst a landscape of destruction. Notably, Petrytsky worked within a constructivist aesthetic, which sought to reflect the industrial and technological advancements of the era. Yet, in doing so, he also exposed the brutal consequences of modernization on the human body and psyche. The artist explores the emotional and physical trauma experienced by soldiers in the trenches. Petrytsky asks us to remember those most vulnerable in times of conflict.