Les civils [The civilians]

Depicts the interior of a French civilian home, showing two figures lying inert on the floor, probably cut down by marauding soldiers intent on raiding the ample barrels behind. While a dog whines in distress, one stricken boy clings to an older girl who, in her turn, stretches out imploringly towards two equally traumatised adults. This is one of a series of six anti-German woodcuts by Vallotton entitled 'C'est la Guerre!' [This is war!] , which consisted of graphic and dramatic portrayals of the destruction and carnage that occurred on the Western Front in France during the First World War.