Dutch Army Vehicles 1915

Rik Wouters made this drawing, “Dutch Army Vehicles,” with pencil, on paper. Wouters' life and art were deeply affected by the First World War. A sense of displacement marks his work. This sketch offers us a glimpse into the machinery of war, but through a soft lens. The loose lines and gentle shading gives the scene an almost dreamlike quality. The figures lack detail, their faces obscured. The facelessness evokes a sense of universality, reminding us that war affects everyone, regardless of identity. The horses, too, are rendered with a certain tenderness, their powerful forms softened by the artist's hand. It is a scene of movement, but also of waiting, fraught with anxiety. Wouters was conscripted into the army and died shortly after at the young age of 34. As such this drawing serves as a poignant reminder of the human cost of conflict.