Production versus Destruction: Art, World War I and art history
Nicola Lambourne
Studies on the theme of art and World War I routinely focus produced during conflict; it is suggested in this article that wartime destruction also worthy art‐historical attention. Destruction was as much, if not more, a concern at time damage done to historic monuments north‐eastern France, along line Western Front, subject large literature after war. This contemporary raises particular problems interpretation, however, all propagandist nature; absence disinterested evidence, simple approach asking ‘what happened’ possible content propaganda becomes more interesting than its truth value. The caused by German shells French Gothic cathedrals supplied opportunities for an exchange traditional Franco‐German cultural hostilities, with apparently concrete examples. counter‐propaganda concerning bombardment Reims Cathedral taken example here, comparison accusations barbarism cynical use church military purposes – fight title most truly ‘cultured’ nation. As much written architectural historians, including medieval specialists Emile Mâle Paul Clemen, story told terms, dropping cathedral characterized stylistically jealous Germans. It argued here that, given extent interest war architecture, ignore negative feature relationship between favour positive aspects production reconstruction give imbalanced view concerns time.
Art History