The Loneliness of the Blind

In John Singer Sargent’s painting “Gassed,” there are multiple aspects of modernism being portrayed. After this terrible gas attack, men were left blind, and are seen walking to treatment tents. The bandages covering their eyes clearly depicts the sense of loneliness, while they feel as if they are left to be forgotten, as their fellow soldiers are on the ground blind. Every soldier is alienated even though they are all together, grabbing onto each other while not being able to see what is in front of them. These men are filled with clueless thoughts on what’s next in their lives and are still left comprehending what just happened. Through the painting you can imagine the thoughts going on in these soldier’s minds. They are afraid, worried for their future, and stranded with nothing to be seen in front of them.

Source: https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/art/great-works/great-works-gassed-1919-by-john-singer-sargent-8637923.html