The Impact Of The First World War On Art

Many things in the world changed after the First World War, one of which was art. It is almost one hundred years since the end of the First World War. In the works of many war artists, and later on, it is very clear to see how they portrayed the terrible physical and psychological consequences of war crimes. Also, in that period, many artists start different art movements such as Futurism and Neue Sachlichkeit (New Objectivity). These movements have many characteristics like philosophical and social contexts. First Futurism. They said everything from the past should be cleaned up and everything has to be about new technology and new machines. Further, Futurists focused on modernity and progress, and they tried to eliminate classic art concepts and replace their modern art and ideas. The focus was on urban life and dynamic vision of the future, and artists added images of new technologies such as trains, cars, and planes. For example, in Gino Severini’s Armored Train in Action painting, it is obvious to see future and war. He painted aerial perspective and picture of a train with armed soldiers. Also, Severini incorporates beautiful color with stressful war actions.

Then, Neue Sachlichkeit or New Objectivity. It was an art movement in Germany, which reflected in the resignation and cynicism in that period. Also, artists of this movement were all only German guys who fought in the first world war as a soldier. German artists, who were, in the days of the first war clashes, criticized the society and the state of affairs in their work, one of them was Otto Dix. Otto Dix was Neue Sachlichkeits. In his paintings, it is usual to see injured soldiers after the war. Otto Dix portraited critique of the German society, gave subjects Like war, prostitution, violence, aging, sexual murders, and death. The First World War in visual art was both a turning point and a source of change. Rarely, in just a few years, this new style of art emerges. The artists had a multifaceted relationship with war. Many initially welcomed it, and the rest of the audience changed their minds and expressed their disgust. However, the war, in a way, affected all of them. For example, before the Great War, paintings were more colorful and more realistic. Artists were creating realistic artworks about religion, love, and daily life. On the other hand, after the world war, everything changed in art. Artists started to show more bad things and paint their visual or surreal thoughts.