Soldier (Charles White, 1944)
Charles White was an African-American artist who created numerous reflective artworks illustrating the toil and oppression experienced by black people living in the United States during the 19th and 20th centuries by focusing on the facial expressions and body language of the often muscular and bruised figures in his compositions. White intended to explore black culture and history while documenting the injustices most black people had to endure for fear of further persecution and harm. During the class’s visit to see the Charles White exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art, one painting that instantly struck me is the one in the photo above simply titled Soldier. This tempera on Masonite painting was made in 1944 and depicts a black soldier clenching his rifle by the base of the bayonet as he anxiously stares up toward presumably an enemy’s position he must neutralize and capture while the sky in the background is eerily dark and cloudy.
The most striking element in this image is the soldier’s rank signified by the insignia on his right arm. Upon examining the insignia, one can tell the soldier is most likely a sergeant in the U.S. Army if the viewer is familiar with the rank insignia of the five branches of the U.S. Armed Forces. According to the accompanying exhibition label, the setting of the painting places the soldier into World War II, which isn’t surprising since the United States was already engaged in battles with the Empire of Japan in the Pacific Theater and commenced Operation Neptune, otherwise known as D-Day, on June 6, 1944, to liberate France and the rest of Europe from Nazi Germany’s control. The U.S. Armed Forces during the war were racially segregated, and black soldiers typically didn’t attain high ranks like that of a sergeant. Therefore, the rank insignia of the soldier in White’s painting adds a powerfully unique element to the significance of the composition. Additionally, with the inclusion of the dark clouds and what appears to be rocks sticking out of water in the bottom left of the image, I wouldn’t be surprised if scene illustrates the seaborne invasion of Normandy during Operation Neptune as the soldiers were also faced with extreme weather conditions.
Looking into the soldier’s face, you can see the fear in his eyes and face. Professor Eversley and the docent who provided the class a tour of the exhibit stated they could see bravery in his face. Initially, I didn’t see any bravery in his face and only saw fear as he grips his weapon to protect himself. However, I realized afterward, whether this man volunteered or was drafted in the armed services, is employing his bravery to fight for and protect his friends, family, and country back home, and to demonstrate himself in a redeeming manner that he and other black people aren’t uneducated and useless like many individuals in the United States believed during the Jim Crow era. The thought of the solider in the image looking up at German positions entrenched in bunkers, trenches, and sandbags with snipers and machine guns on top of a cliff shooting at him as he charges through a wide-open beach with barbed wire, landmines, and other obstacles is incredibly daunting and commendable. The enlargement of the soldier’s hands can also signify the significant struggle and pressure on him to neutralize the German forces, or be killed and have the legacy of himself and the other black soldiers face ridicule from condescending individuals.
The final comment I want to make about this artwork is the yellowish-brown color of the soldier’s uniform. Professor Eversley and several other students commented on how the selection of the color reminds them of communist propaganda posters that Communist China, Korea, and Vietnam utilized during the Korean and Vietnam Wars. Interestingly, Professor Eversley stated White was closely associated with the Communist Party USA, although he was never officially a member. He was partially influenced by the Soviet Union’s communist government, had several close connections with well-known socialists, and embraced particular communist/socialist ideas. All of these characteristics were particularly troublesome and dangerous during the late 1940s and early 1950s as the Second Red Scare and McCarthyism were targeting suspected socialists and communists who were a threat to the national security and interests of the United States. Also, many of White’s works weren’t publicly shown at museums and galleries due to his communist connections. It is intriguing to see how society went from virtually blacklisting White and his artwork to producing a retrospective exhibition in honor of his legacy.
—Patrick Perrigo
