See Stirring Century-Old Artwork by French Children Reacting to World War I
See Stirring Century-Old Artwork by French Children Reacting to World War I
2 minute read
The French schoolchildren often chose to draw allegorical figures that emphasized the enduring relationship between France and the United States. In this image, Columbia representing America and Marianne representing France reach out to each other in a gesture of solidarity, while each of their nations’ flags appear to fuse together, further emphasizing the two countries’ unity.Société d’Histoire et d’Archéologie Le Vieux Montmartre – Paris
By the time the U.S. officially entered World War I on April 6, 1917 — nearly exactly a century ago — the war had already been ravaging Europe for years. Since the continent’s tangled web of alliances had triggered widespread conflict in 1914, citizens and soldiers alike had discovered that modern warfare, with its trenches and tanks, was a beast of an undertaking.
So it was that the news that fresh American troops would be joining the fight was met with eagerness by allies like the French.
Those eager French citizens included a certain group of roughly middle-school-age boys who attended a school in the Montmartre neighborhood in Paris, where their teacher asked them to creatively express their reactions to the news. Some of the drawings they created, preserved for 100 years, can be seen here. In addition to expressing reactions to the American declaration of war and their appreciation for the alliance between the two nations, the students reflected artistically on their daily lives and feelings about the war in general.
These images are part of the 30 drawings on loan from Le Vieux Montmartre Historical Society to the National World War I Museum and Memorial in Kansas City for the exhibition Vive l’Amérique: French Children Welcome Their American Ally, on view Tuesday through Oct. 15.
In this drawing, the school child depicts two images. On the right side, American soldiers parade in the Tuileries Park in Paris, while on the left, a bust of General Pershing appears before a careful rendering of the American and French flags, a reference to the two nations’ relationship. Société d’Histoire et d’Archéologie Le Vieux Montmartre – ParisThe French schoolchildren often chose to draw allegorical figures that emphasized the enduring relationship between France and the United States. In this image, Columbia representing America and Marianne representing France reach out to each other in a gesture of solidarity, while each of their nations’ flags appear to fuse together, further emphasizing the two countries’ unity. Société d’Histoire et d’Archéologie Le Vieux Montmartre – ParisDuring the war, many French children lost their fathers. In response, American children raised money to help orphans, while units in the American Expeditionary Forces participated in a program to aid orphans and families whose provider had been killed or disabled in the war. Société d’Histoire et d’Archéologie Le Vieux Montmartre – ParisThe arrival of American troops was met with great anticipation and fanfare by the French. In this drawing, brightly colored tents and a smattering of people of all ages wait for the Americans at the seaport of Saint-Nazaire waving the French and American flags as an official welcome to France.Société d’Histoire et d’Archéologie Le Vieux Montmartre – ParisIn this drawing, American troops march and proudly wave the American flag, as Parisian onlookers watch with excitement. An exuberant bystander dramatically swings from a lamppost, seeming to encourage the soldiers onwards. At the top of the image, two cloud-like vignettes depict what appears to be in one scene a triumph over the Germans, while the other appears to support the Franco-American alliance. Société d’Histoire et d’Archéologie Le Vieux Montmartre – ParisIn this drawing, the artist localizes his experience of the war through the depiction of Montmartre’s Moulin de la Galette. Poignantly, the image makes written reference to the 1870-1 Siege of Paris, which eventually led to the creation of the revolutionary French CommuneSociété d’Histoire et d’Archéologie Le Vieux Montmartre – ParisOn the steps of a railway station, American soldiers prepare to leave Paris for the front lines. Société d’Histoire et d’Archéologie Le Vieux Montmartre – ParisAt the East Railway Station in Paris, American troops make their way in a bustling phalanx through the station. Société d’Histoire et d’Archéologie Le Vieux Montmartre – ParisThis drawing depicts the famous Montmartre landmark, which speaks to how this child sought to personalize and imagine how his neighborhood played a pivotal role in the American soldiers’ training. In a comical turn, the text states that the Americans have “rented” the space. Société d’Histoire et d’Archéologie Le Vieux Montmartre – ParisThe role of the public school was pivotal in educating students on how to be model French citizens. It also provided them the opportunity to express how the war impacted their lives through the act of drawing. Société d’Histoire et d’Archéologie Le Vieux Montmartre – Paris
