What movement is War?

War is associated with Symbolism.

Can I buy a print of War?

Museum-quality prints of War are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

War

Arnold Böcklin , 1899

War is a tempera painting by the Symbolist artist Arnold Böcklin. It dates from 1899 and is held in the collection of the Kunsthaus Zürich.

About this work

Overview

Arnold Böcklin’s tempera work titled War was completed in 1899 and is part of the collection at the Kunsthaus Zürich.

Arnold Böcklin’s tempera work titled War was completed in 1899 and is part of the collection at the Kunsthaus Zürich. The painting presents a tumultuous battlefield scene rendered in a historicist mode, with a central focus on a nude female rider wielding a hammer, accompanied by a robed male figure also holding a hammer. The composition is set against a medieval‑type cityscape, evoking a sense of widespread upheaval.

Subject & Meaning

At the heart of the canvas a woman on horseback raises a hammer aloft, her nude form suggesting both vulnerability and defiance. Beside her, a man in a vivid red robe mirrors the gesture, reinforcing a shared agency in the conflict. The juxtaposition of these figures with a crumbling urban backdrop may allude to the destructive forces of war and the paradoxical blend of power and exposure inherent in combat.

Technique & Style

Böcklin employed tempera, a fast‑drying medium that yields a matte, layered surface. This choice allows fine detail in the figures’ musculature and the intricate architecture of the distant city, while also producing stark chiaroscuro contrasts that heighten the drama. The painter’s handling of light and shadow creates depth, emphasizing the tension between illuminated foreground and darker, receding background.

History & Provenance

Created at the close of the nineteenth century, War entered the holdings of the Kunsthaus Zürich, where it remains on display. The painting reflects Böcklin’s late‑period interest in allegorical and mythic subjects, and its acquisition by the museum underscores the work’s relevance to Swiss collections of Symbolist and historicist art.