Surrenders in art. From history paintings to contemporary examples

Abstract

This work studies mechanisms that represent a significant historical fact by seduction of a work of art. It explains how the facts that are taken as relevant occurred, so it appears that what is important is what is shown because this has happened, when the real goal is to set up a manipulating sobering message to be received in a subliminal and therefore uncritical way. It chooses the surrenders in wars subject of paintings and photographs. It shows different plot strategies for symbolizing an ideological message. It continues with contemporary works with references of historical paintings but with a representation of a war event to the service of art and not on the contrary, pretending  to document (fictitiously) historical facts when what it looks for is to unmask messages used to shape symbolic reality. One recalls a past by an absurdity that seems feasible, in another a possible future is disguised as a current reality and in a third it is made explicit a supposed (false) display, showing as true what did not happened, and that seems to have happened.