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Max Gehlsen, A virtual exhibition

  • German artist during the war

    • Watercolours produced by Max GEHLSEN during his time on the Western Front give a rather bucolic and initial insight into the First World War combats, which was quite traumatic for those who experienced the war. Why does he give such a clearly softened image of the War, or at least, a rather unattached view to the realism of the conflict? It does, indeed, showcase distant views, taken some distance from the front line of the « industrial » combat, where artillery plats a main role and men are simply cogs in the machinery which takes over. Some watercolours do however show « human » clashes where the artist provides an overview of what men involved at the forefront of battle would have to witness. Infantry and a fortiori the cavalry are no longer, following 1914 key elements in the victory which they used to be. Soldiers took on a new role in a more general strategy for conflict which they did not control.

  • The Heritage in the works of Max GEHLSEN
  • Life for soldiers on the front
  • A working method
  • Far from the combats, life continues
  • Beautiful images of war