"Vater, es wird nicht gut ablaufen, bleiben wir von dem soldatenhaufen" ("Father, This Won't Turn Out Well, We should stay away from the gang of soldiers") 1923

Lovis Corinth etched this disquieting image, dominated by a scene of potential violence. The gathering of soldiers evokes a sense of foreboding, tapping into our collective anxieties about conflict and its unpredictable nature. Notice how Corinth uses darkness to obscure details, creating a sense of unease. This echoes the works of artists like Goya, whose depictions of war also use shadow to convey terror and chaos. The act of a father shielding his child connects to ancient iconographies of protection, found in images of the Madonna sheltering the infant Jesus. The father's gesture, a desperate attempt to ward off danger, resonates with primal fears of vulnerability and loss. This echoes through time, manifesting in different forms, from religious art to contemporary political cartoons. Ultimately, Corinth's etching serves as a stark reminder of the cyclical nature of human conflict, a recurring motif etched into our collective consciousness.