Le vieillard (Pourtau)

"Le vieillard" a painting by Léon Pourtau from 1894, is a captivating piece currently displayed in the Museo Soumaya in Mexico City. This artwork portrays an elderly man navigating an empty French street during a curfew imposed by the Prussian occupiers. The man, relying on crutches, suggests a physical injury. The scene is dramatically illuminated by the explosion of a bomb, casting a striking yellow light that pierces the night’s darkness.

Pourtau created this work in the aftermath of the French Republic’s defeat by the German Empire in the Franco-Prussian War. As a student of Georges Seurat, Pourtau infused the piece with elements of pointillism and divisionism. He utilized impasto oil painting techniques, applying thick layers of paint to create a sharp contrast between dark and vibrant colors. The style of the painting evokes the bold, emotional strokes of German Expressionism.