Aufbruch zu den Freiheitskriegen 1908

Ferdinand Hodler made this drawing, Aufbruch zu den Freiheitskriegen, sometime before his death in 1918. It's a preparatory sketch for a mural about the Swiss Confederation's neutrality during the Napoleonic Wars, but it also reflects the fraught social and political context of its own time. Hodler lived through the rise of nationalism in Europe, and his art often dealt with themes of identity, community, and conflict. Here, the marching soldiers, arranged in regimented rows, are a visual code for the military institutions and power structures that shaped Swiss society. The sketch can be read as a critique of militarism and nationalism, questioning the very idea of heroic warfare. Hodler's approach invites us to consider the social conditions that shape artistic production. To understand his art better, we can look at the historical records, political writings, and cultural debates of his era, which can help us appreciate the role of art as a reflection of the times.