In 1914, andré mare was mobilized into the 3rd artillery regiment. He was sent to belgium (hirson), to paris (earthworks for the protection of paris) then to champagne (near valmy, beauséjour or chalons). He takes with him a notebook and a box of watercolors and from the start begins to bear witness to his daily life. On this oil on canvas, andré mare represents an episode of retirement. The title of his painting undoubtedly refers to the great retreat which took place from august 24 to september 28, 1914. In the foreground, a french soldier is seated. He has a greenish appearance and seems to be holding his left leg. He may be injured in his left leg or simply exhausted from the long walk he is taking. Behind him is a group of soldiers mixed with civilians who are fleeing the combat zones. They take with them some belongings and their livestock. They all have their shoulders lowered due to fatigue but surely also overwhelmed by the military rout that france is suffering. All faces are hidden or blurred for the sake of universality. The fact that the people represented are cut off in their actions shows that the painter wanted to capture a precise moment as if he were taking a photograph. Moreover, in august 1915, the painter bought a kodak vest-pocket camera and began taking photographs. Date: 1914. Dimensions: 85 x 72 cm. Medium: oil on canvas. Collection: La contemporaine. Episode de la retraite
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