Column on the March

Christopher Richard Wynne Nevinson British

Not on view

Column on the March is related to Nevinson’s Returning to the Trenches; however, rather than individuals, it shows a long line of French soldiers marching to the front. Nevinson indicated the almost unfathomable length of formations like this—which could exceed twenty miles—by allowing the infantry line to extend beyond the limits of the composition. The monotony of the mass and the rigor of each soldier give the impression that the assembled men are like a human "tank" charging toward its destination. While Nevinson made a similar painting, many critics found the sharper drypoint to be a more effective condemnation of war. This work may be a response to Gino Severini’s Futurist images of war trains cutting through the landscape, such as Train in the City (1915), a work Nevinson knew.

Column on the March, Christopher Richard Wynne Nevinson (British, London 1889–1946 London), Drypoint

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