Aimé Stevens, Christmas Truce, portr

Aimé stevens (schaerbeek, 1879 – brussels, 1951), portrait of a soldier, oil on canvas. The context of this portrait is the first world war, but not just any day. This is the famous christmas truce in the no man's land located in ploegsteert, north of the franco-belgian border. The truce mainly concerned the british and germans. The central character is an infantry soldier, his piercing gaze questions the viewer about the role he is about to fulfill. He still seems serene and inked on the floor, as if he were in his place. We imagine the movement and intensity through the characters on the right who seem to walk towards the front. The second figure from behind, whose face we do not see contrasts and reminds us that any man of fighting age could find himself on a battlefield. Although his outfit is so simple and homogeneous in color, the soldier whose face we only see is almost destabilizing in this context where aesthetics do not matter. Nb: a small accident on the lacer, plan to tighten the canvas.

Ref. : SPV41X7U