Critique of German Art by Robert de la Sizeranne

Extract

[...] Here, modernity, usually perceived as progress, is described by the author as a regression. The use of the verb 'destroy' is particularly strong, as it establishes an explicit parallel between acts of war and aesthetic choices. This rejection of German modernity recalls the criticisms formulated by Camille Mauclair in The Crisis of Modern Art (1909). Mauclair, although attacking European avant-gardes in general, reproaches German artists with an obsession for technique and industry, which he opposes to the humanist spirit of French art. [...]

[...] More precisely, how does he associate art, morality, and nationality to discredit Germany? I. A bitter critique of German art: the association between barbarism and aesthetics From the very first lines, Sizeranne attacks German art head-on by posing a rhetorical question imbued with contempt: 'What is the Art of these people?'1. By this formulation, he reduces German artists to a collective entity, devoid of individuality and true artistic value. He even mentions names like Behrens or Liebermann, but without showing them respect, preferring a rhetoric of disqualification. [...]

[...] Conclusion In short, in this excerpt from L'Art during the war 1914-1918, Robert de la Sizeranne formulates a scathing critique of German art, which he associates with a moral and aesthetic failure. By mobilizing examples such as Louvain or industrial exhibitions, he opposes a destructive German art to a creative and disinterested French art. However, this critique is deeply rooted in the post-war ideological tensions, where the disqualification of Germany also passes through the artistic sphere. If its arguments reveal the power of art as a tool of propaganda, they also highlight the dangers of a nationalist and reductionist vision. [...]

[...] This criticism reflects a deep opposition between two visions of art: on the one hand, a French art rooted in harmony and tradition; on the other hand, a German art that he perceives as subordinate to the imperatives of modernity and industry. Finally, the author associates art with a broader moral failure. He indeed states: 'It's not an art; it's a complicity between vandals'5. This particularly incisive phrase establishes a direct link between the destructions of war and the absence of true creativity among German artists. By assimilating art to the morality of those who produce it, Sizeranne thus reduces German artistic production to a simple reflection of acts of barbarism. [...]

[...] The author quickly establishes an opposition between destruction and creation. According to him, German artists are more known for the destructions they have endorsed or associated with than for their works. By evoking the events of Louvain - the destruction of its library in 1914 he asserts: 'This unique work was destroyed by those who claim to rebuild a new art'2. In this phrase, destruction becomes the symbol of moral and aesthetic incapacity, reinforcing a dichotomy between civilization (associated with France) and barbarism (associated with Germany). [...]