Views of Conflict - (Page 3 of 4)

Vernet was well known for his paintings showing French military glory during the Napoleonic period and The Dog of the Regiment Wounded was one of his most popular works. Rather than showing the realities of battle, he appeals to the sentimental side of human nature by picturing two soldiers tending a wounded dog while the battle rages on around them. Perhaps it was easier for Vernet to sell paintings showing such subject-matter rather than a more realistic depiction of death and destruction.

In contrast, Cochin's drawing of the effect of bombs falling on a town appeared in a book about artillery which was written for soldiers who needed to operate cannons and escape from enemy fire. It shows people running away in horror as the bombs fall and is a reminder of the actual effects of war. In a similar way, Goya's painting shows men in the ghastly confines of a prison. This was an experience that those captured in battle would have endured. At a more basic level, the Dutch painting of a Brawl between Peasants shows the ease with which more day-to-day disputes can arise, especially when fired by the desperation of poverty.