What an insanely powerful piece and a masterful use of black and white.
I’m honestly not sure what the authorial perspective of the crusades was. In the late 1800’s, it probably wasn’t safe to be openly critical, but this feels very critical.
The soldiers seem almost skeletal. There’s a ghoulish tone to everyone except the angel, who seems to be undeniably leading this army of the damned.
Really interesting image.
There is a specific art to making something that will be perceived as sincere by people who haven’t realized the horror, and perceived as piercing satire by people who have.
I agree with you. Dude absolutely crushed it.
As someone that is not Christian, this feels like a very critical painting. The army looks pretty zombie-ish, as if the angel is a puppeteer.
