Artwork
Artillery
Artillery is an oil painting by the Cubism Analytic artist Roger de La Fresnaye. It dates from 1911 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The painting Artillery (1911) by Roger de La Fresnaye centers on a military subject, depicting French artillerymen operating a field gun alongside an officer.
The painting Artillery (1911) by Roger de La Fresnaye centers on a military subject, depicting French artillerymen operating a field gun alongside an officer. The composition emphasizes the coordinated effort of soldiers and their equipment, reflecting the mechanized nature of early twentieth-century warfare. The artillery piece as the focal point underscores the work's engagement with contemporary military technology and its role in modern conflict.
Rendered in a semi-Cubist style, the fragmented forms and structured arrangement convey both dynamism and control, aligning the scene with the avant-garde movements of the period. The work's iconography merges realism with abstraction, capturing the intersection of human labor and mechanical force within a nationalistic context.
Technique & Style
Artillery (1911) is an oil on canvas measuring 130.2 by 159.4 cm, painted by Roger de La Fresnaye. The painting employs a semi-Cubist idiom, using fragmented geometric forms to render French soldiers, an officer, and a towed field gun. The surface shows a tightly structured composition with muted tonal modulation and an emphasis on dynamic movement. The work is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
History & Provenance
Created in 1911, Artillery is an oil on canvas by the French artist Roger de La Fresnaye. The work depicts French artillerymen, an officer, and a field gun being towed, and measures 130.2 cm in height by 159.4 cm in width. At one point it was owned by the Bignou Gallery before entering the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. No specific accession number or detailed exhibition history is recorded in the available sources.
Overview
Roger de La Fresnaye's 1911 oil on canvas, Artillery, captures a dynamic military scene. The painting depicts French soldiers, including artillerymen and an officer, maneuvering a field gun. This work is part of the collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, representing an early example of the artist's engagement with modern artistic movements and military themes.
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