| Place | Europe: France, Paris |
|---|---|
| Accession Number | ART50261 |
| Collection type | Art |
| Measurement | sheet: 47.5 x 61.2 cm (irreg.); image: 33.2 x 39.5 cm (irreg.) |
| Object type | |
| Physical description | hand-coloured woodcut on paper, with printed text; edition: 38/900 |
| Maker |
Dufy, Raoul |
| Place made | France: Paris |
| Date made | 1915 |
| Conflict |
First World War, 1914-1918 |
| Copyright |
Item copyright: Copyright expired - public domain
|
La fin de la grande guerre (The end of the Great War)
Description
Dufy has illustrated a French war victory song with a set of allegorical vignettes that include famous people and incidents in French history. Dominating the image is a crowing coq in the French colours, standing triumphantly on the dead German eagle. The scenes are the soldiers farewell, a dead archbishop (symbol of martyrdom), war's destruction, crows eating a dead body, German soldiers executing a cleric (representing atrocities against civilians), the burning of Reims Cathedral, Joan of Arc in armour, homecoming, Generalissimo Foch, and the Lègion d'Honneur medal. Dufy has been described in Benezit as 'one of the greatest colourists of our time'.