Groep mannen, ernaast een compositie met onder andere een soldaat 1814 - 1860

This is a composite print made by Auguste Raffet sometime in the mid-19th century. With closely hatched lines of ink on paper, Raffet captures a frenetic energy. The left side shows a flurry of standing figures in a public setting. The artist has placed the standing figures in contrast to separate studies on the right. This part of the composition includes numerous sketches of what appear to be dead or unconscious soldiers in various poses. The interplay between the bustling, active crowd and the still, lifeless bodies on the right creates a stark visual and emotional contrast. The artist thus explores themes of mortality and the human condition. The formal structure of the composition, dividing life and death, challenges fixed meanings of conflict. It raises questions about the cost of progress and the individual versus the collective. The print invites us to reflect on the dualities inherent in human existence, as expressed through Raffet's graphic skill.