World War 1: Art Interpretation

For What?

 

     This is a painting done by World War 1 artist, Fred Varley. He was born on January 2^nd, 1881, in Sheffield, England. Fred decided to move to Canada, after getting the advice from another man residing in Sheffield. It was 1912 when Varley decided to finally make the big move to Canada. After the end of World War 1, in 1919, Varley was sent to France as an official “overseas artist”. Fred Varley focused on painting scenes that included battlefields or cemeteries. What Varley saw while he was working overseas deeply affected him and his feelings were extremely clear in his paintings. “For What?” and three other war scenes, are what caused Varley to become known as a painter. Other than his war art, Varley had many contributions to the art world, thanks to a group he was a part of, called the “Group of Seven”. This group painted many landscape photos. After Fred Varley returned from his expedition overseas, the influence of war became prominent in the paintings produced from this group. Wilderness was depicted with fire and harsh climates. The art pieces produced looked as if the sorrow and pain from war was tainting the wilderness landscapes. Varley eventually made the move from Ontario to Vancouver, B.C. In Vancouver, he became the head of Drawing and Painting at the School of Decorative and Applied Arts in Vancouver. The beauty within B.C. had a wonderful influence upon Varley’s work. His art contained scenes containing coastal mountains and lush vegetation. The Depression came about and Varley made the move to Montreal, due to bankruptcy. In Montreal, Varley ended up suffering alcoholism for many years. Once Varley recovered from his alcoholism he made the move back to Ontario, where he continued to reside until his death on September 8^th, 1969.
    
      The tone of this photo is quite dismal. It shows the intense aftermath of war. I don’t see any elements of happiness; rather this painting focusses on destruction and how war does not solve anything. Disappointment is another tone in the painting. Why do we send people to war? Why must we fight? Why must we take up arms against others, when we know that war always has the same outcome? Death, sadness, destruction, disappointment with the human race – those are all different elements I think that Varley was trying to portray when he was painting this art piece. It makes the viewer of this art piece feel ashamed of what humans will do just to win a war. I think that Varley was terribly disgusted of what we have become as a human race. The human race is very advanced, yet terribly behind. We can’t put aside our petty differences and work together. I believe that Varley wanted to show how war does not solve anything and that no matter what; war will have a dismal outcome. I believe that the piece does not portray what the fighting and the battles in World War 1 were like; however, I believe that the painting shows how appalling the result of war is and I believe this artist succeeded in what they were trying to portray. Overall, I think that this painting is a moving piece, which sparks emotion, causing people to rethink why countries go to war.