Untitled (An Officer Reading Dispatches in Candle-Lit Barracks, World War I) 1917 - 1919

This is an etching by Jules André Smith, probably made during or just after World War One. Look at how the artist uses a dense mesh of lines to create an atmosphere thick with darkness. It’s like he’s not just depicting a scene, but also the mood of wartime: tense, uncertain, lit by fragile hope. The physical nature of etching—scratching into a plate, inking, pressing—mirrors the act of digging trenches, charting maps, reading by candlelight, and making do. Notice the way the light explodes from the candle. Smith uses radiating lines to suggest not just illumination but also a kind of fragile, desperate energy. The image reminds me of Käthe Kollwitz’s stark, emotional prints, both artists use the graphic medium to convey the psychological weight of war. Ultimately, the beauty of art lies in its ability to hold multiple truths at once, reflecting both the artist’s intention and our own interpretations.