Art During War: What effect does war have on art?

Ashley Walczyk
MSMU Class of 2024

(7/2023) What effect does war have on art? It is a question that perhaps does not seem relevant to us now. The last war America declared as congressional declarations of war was World War II. The more recent wars were never declared "officially" by congress, but they also had an impact on the way art was created and thought of during times of war. Honorable mentions to those wars in which our heroes have fallen since WWII include the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Art, ranging from poetry, paintings, and sculptures, to later in photographs, can be used to document the animosity, the confusion, the desperation that most can feel during this time. During times of war, art also became especially significant in showcasing wealth. In wartime, there is an increase in owning, or in some cases, "stealing" art which leads to multi-million-dollar portraits being "lost" or destroyed during this time as well. There’s a particular relationship between art and war, and the complexities of human nature during war, which affects not only art itself, but learning.

War occurs when conflicts arise. This can be between a group of people within a country or can disperse over a larger area in the world. It’s more common for wars to start within their own nations, more known as civil wars. The difference between a civil war and a revolutionary war is that a civil war is a revolt between common people in a country, while in a revolution, the common people revolt against the government.

So why is this all important? Well, art is considered a form of wealth, which also means that art can be seen as a form of value. Art can be used as a form of investing, especially for the rich. In fact, art has different monetary value compared to those investing in the stock market, which is why, when economies crash, the value of art increases exponentially.

To reiterate an earlier article, humans create art for a variety of reasons, including as a form of self-expression, storytelling, communication, social cohesion, cultural identity, and therapy. The exact reasons why an individual artist creates a particular work can vary greatly and may include a combination of these or other motivations.

The role of art during war has five main purposes: art is used to promote war, show opposition to war, destroying art is used to demoralize opponents, art is looted, and/or art is used to recover from war. Depictions of war in art, as well as capturing moments of patriotic loyalty to their respected nation, serves these purposes.

The reason art can be valued highly in war-ridden societies is because of the expressions and emotions an artist use. However, art has also been the center of looting during wartime, which was especially prevalent during World War II.

Art Looted During War

Since art was seen as a delicacy and for the wealthy, art exhibits were often looted during war. A notable culprit of this was the Nazi Regime looting several museums, collecting art viewed as worthy for the Third Reich, and destroying works deemed as "degenerate" for their society. It is said that approximately sixteen thousand pieces alone were removed for these "degenerate" themes, with the Nazis claiming that German art had been "purified."

It might seem strange for the Nazis, known for mass-destruction and genocide, to care so much about art other than for monetary reasons. There is a reason for the fascination with art other than its destruction, which can be seen in Hitler’s desire to become an artist himself. He applied and was rejected from the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts, a prestigious school focusing on painting, sculpting, drawing, and many other art forms.

Reasons Art is Created During This Time

Art was created for a number of reasons during this time, so another worthy question is, what motivates an artist to create during or after such a devastating event? A significant motif is a desire to bring to light the realities of war so the public, moved by art, gets a better grasp on what is at stake.

Some focus on the inhumane acts committed during wars. An example of this approach, known as propaganda, is seen through German artist Otto Dix, who created the painting "Trench" to express the inhumanities of war, which was one of the paintings that was named "degenerate" by Hitler and the Nazis. Some artists focus on the realities of war, making sure to remind us of what is occurring on the frontlines of battlegrounds. This form, also seen as medical illustration, captures the war medicine side, watching as our soldiers perish from disease and wounds. I argue that this is another approach to describing the "inhumane" acts during wars, but others can argue those two as separate.

Charles Bell, the pioneer of medical illustration, was the first to capture this occurrence, being a surgeon for the French Revolution. One of his drawings captures that of a soldier after he was wounded during the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. The illustration, drawn in beautiful imagery, can be seen as graphic, as it depicts the aftermath of the soldier’s arm being torn off by an explosion. Bell’s reason for creating this graphic piece of work was to visually represent the agony of the soldiers, and he wanted the public to understand the realities of war and sympathize with the victims, regardless which side they chose. Some artists aim to change views, and create art that focuses especially on political themes.

C. S. Lewis and Conclusion

"Most of all, perhaps, we need intimate knowledge of the past… because we cannot study the future, and yet need something to set against the present, to remind us that the basic assumption have been quite different in different periods and that much which seems certain to the uneducated is merely temporary fashion" – C. S. Lewis

The quote by C.S. Lewis offers insight into how we should view the modern interpretation of war. Since World War I, the separation of home front and war front were extreme, as many young soldiers would return home, unsure what to make of the war and what to do next. It’s important in understanding that World War I and on caused a rift in the way war is perceived, as it was no longer common to romanticize it in art. There are fewer patriotic, heroic, or religious figures in paintings, making older renditions of depictions of wars more valued in worth.

While we cannot gain back the art that was lost during war, it does not mean we should forget those pieces as well. Some of the most beautiful artifacts could be forever lost, but the lore behind the mysteries will only strengthen the value of the piece, destroyed, or lost. C. S. Lewis reminds us that it is important to look at the history and knowledge surrounding many academic achievements, especially the focus of art and school, even during wartime.

With the Fourth of July, we must remember those who fought for our freedoms. Whether it be from the beginning during the Revolutionary War, or during the Great War and World War II, where millions of lives were lost, we must honor them through the legacy they left behind. This should also be said about the art and music that was made during this time. Art was just as important during times of war, as it allowed us to come together as one community and contemplate the realities of what is at stake, and what is worth fighting for.

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