Artwork
Marche d'un groupe de prisonniers allemands
Marche d'un groupe de prisonniers allemands is a drawing by Auguste Lepère. It dates from 1914 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
The scene feels close to something you’d find in The Cleveland Museum of Art.
This painting shows German prisoners marching through a French town in 1914. The soldiers look tired, their faces shadowed under helmets. The artist uses dark, rough brushstrokes to show the scene’s harsh light.
The odd part? Lepère wasn’t a war artist. He usually made prints of Paris streets. This feels raw and real, like he saw the moment firsthand.
The scene feels close to something you’d find in The Cleveland Museum of Art.
Overview
Marche d'un groupe de prisonniers allemands, a 1914 drawing by Auguste Louis Lepère, depicts a procession of weary German prisoners marching through a French town during the early stages of World War I.
Subject & Meaning
The work captures a somber moment of war, emphasizing the prisoners' fatigue through shadowed faces and tense postures, conveying the human cost of conflict.
Technique & Style
Lepère employed dark, rough brushstrokes to evoke the scene's harsh lighting, deviating from his typical Parisian street printmaking style to capture the immediacy of the event.
History & Provenance
Created in 1914, the drawing is part of The Cleveland Museum of Art's collection, notable given Lepère's non-combatant status and usual subject matter.
Context
Despite not being an official war artist, Lepère's firsthand observation of the event is implied by the drawing's realism, reflecting the broader impact of WWI on civilian life and artists.
Legacy
While not a defining work in Lepère's print-focused oeuvre, Marche d'un groupe de prisonniers allemands offers a unique glimpse into his response to wartime experiences.
Artist & collection
Artist
Louis-Auguste Lepère (30 November 1849 – 20 November 1918) was a French painter and etcher. Lepère is also considered a leader in the creative revival of wood engraving in Europe.
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