The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-08-19
Art Aids for
Busy People
BY MARTHA 9. WELLS.
Copyright, 1905.
xXIX.-Modern Military Painters:
Verestchagin, Philippoteaux, De
Melville and Detaille.
Verestchagin.

M HEN the Rgss %ns 9 sestte9d9
w. by japanese explosives, on
April 10. 1904, there persisted on board
ne est.known artist Of Russia, Vas
sill Verestchagin (1S42-l904): IN
thought, education and sympathy he
was q true Russian. He won his wide
reputation, not from his Partisan tram
Ing and technique, not because as SOL
dier-artist he painted pictures or war
from actual participation and keen 3D.
2gervation of wars tragic scenes, but
from the subjects he chose. 1890.
He has been called a s'pictorial
moralizer,'' "peripatetic philosopher
as an "apostle Of peace" He became
"a soldier for the sake Of art, that ne
might use his art in teaching the world
Fthe folly and wastefulness OF war Tor
fsthe purpose of extension or commerce.
selfish ambition or territorial a9 ae4'al
;ibattles or conflicts, altho he had been
An many engagements, but rather sought
Ito show the suffering of long marches
faunder burning skies, clouds OF dust,
thru rain and SHOWS with drenched
clothing, over almost impossible roads,
with hunger, wounds and defeat, re-
tduced to an almost savage existence.
Wis pictures lacerate the feelings, make
1 Zone SILVER over the brutality Of modern
savarfare, but 1t was exactly for this
treason that he tried to teach the world
tthe truth about warfare, by showing It's
fterrors, that it might be avoided.
He used often to say that the great
dramatic events of war lasted but
Flew hours, the great part of campaigns
privation and misery, and to paint only
Eahe grim moments Of battle was to ig-
Dart Of a soldier $ life. This is shown
( IN this picture of the "Sentinel Asleep
lat His POST as all know, tho terrible
ggs oZsr waif Sehp mast a1lS~ frozen fs
the deep snow; the tragic "Execution
In India,' where the Sepoy mutineers
were blown from the mouth of the
cannon under direction Of British Off
GERS. This last terrible picture was
resented by the British, but Verestt;,
chagin' q only reply was, he panied IL
because it was true
Verestchagin was born at Novgorod,
md was educated for the navy, but
after becoming an excellent hnguist,
and travelling extensively in Russia,
Turkestan, China and India, he felt
that thru his talents he could most ef-
He ' SAID: SsFfhere never has been but
one kind of warfare, that Is the war
IN which you endeavor to kill or infict
Ga much suffering on the enemy as pos
sible, seize as much of his property
wound, kill or take prisoners. Drawing
room criticisms of my pictures are from
those who have never seen war" Be,
sides taking part in assaults with in.
fantry and cavalry in his native land
being wounded on a Danube monitor
he went with the British to the South
/. African campaigns, the Chinese expe.
dition of allied forces in 1900, and in
the Russo-J Japanese war, where he met
his tragic death.
No historian has told the story OF
Russian militarism as has his brush
In 1882 he exhibited collection OF
over two hundred paintings in Great
Britain, and frequently on the CONT
nent Several times he visited the
United States and brought his paint
ings to Minneapolis in 1885,; In Chi
cago they were shown in connection
with Milet's tfAngelus. !" What {
contrast!
At'the suggestion Of President Roose
yeit he made sketches Of the battle
fields Of Santiago, Cuba, in 1902, late
A the Philippines. He also painte,
the battle Of ttsan Juan HILL witt
Colonel Roosevelt leading the charge o
III. Rough Riders. He carried out his the
| orYsin the Napoleon pictures. of tn
I French invasion Of Russia, showing, no
the great commander as the god Of wal
but iq defeat, leaving Moscow luri
4 with flames, with an army annihilated
No pictures have ever made stronge