Memorial Fashions

[AndyHollinger]

I have been a "student" of war memorials in general and WWI in particular for a long time.

Some are graphic about the war and death:

Some are simply memorials such as the Centagraph and the usual Crusader's Cross ... probably because no one could ever believe ANYONE would ever forget.

Some simply mourn:

And some are almost impressionistic:

Some concentrate on those who served versus those who died:

Was there any "school" of monument style? Is there any thoughts as to why some are simple and some tell a story? There is an excellent work done recently by an Art Historian about the aging of Confederate Widows and the design of the Confederate Memorials which maintains as their grief deepened and their lives lived longer in perpetual sorrow, the more grandiose the memorial designs became ... is the same true of WWI?

Thoughts?

[AndyHollinger]

I agree with Webbhead, that broadly the victorious allies memorials are usually more traditional, neo-classical stuff. Memorial art, sponsored by the state and the military is always going to be inherently conservative. It's interesting that the more modernist WW1 memorials were on the German side, the sculptors Barlach and Kathe Kollwitz (their work was condemned by the Nazis). In fact Andy, I reckon your third picture of the three figures might be by one of those German sculptors. Was it in a German cemetery?

Yes ... it is Langemark near Ieper.