The artwork titled “The Sunken Road” was created by F. H. Varley in 1919. It is an oil on canvas piece that belongs to the landscape genre and is also often associated with the Art Nouveau movement, although its thematic content aligns more closely with World War I representations. The work measures 132.4 by 162.8 cm (52 1/8 x 64 1/8 in.) and is part of the collection at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa.
“The Sunken Road” by F. H. Varley presents a vivid scene from World War I. The composition is dominated by the chalky terrain of a battlefield mingled with the broken forms of soldiers and earth. These figures seem to emerge from and blend into the landscape, underscoring the harrowing connection between the men and the treacherous terrain they find themselves in. The artist employs a dynamic brushwork that brings a raw energy to the scene, with a palette that includes a range of whites, blues, yellows, and earthy tones. A notable feature of the painting is the use of light, which appears to dapple across the landscape, contrasting the stillness and the chaos of the environment. Despite the overall sense of desolation and fatigue, a rainbow can be discerned in the sky, perhaps hinting at a sense of hope or the calm after the storm. This artwork powerfully encapsulates the experience of conflict and the resilience of the human spirit amidst destruction.
