War Leaves Scars

This powerful piece of rhetoric pretty much speaks for itself. The iconic "mother and child" appeal immediately to the viewer's emotions. The real holes, obviously created by artillery fire, that pierce the painting of the mother's head are a sharp and very real contrast to the peace and beauty that the mother and child image is supposed to evoke. The contrast between the painted image and the real concrete visible in the holes also destroys the idea that war, in reality, can be anything but violent and deadly. The simple slogan "War leaves many scars" hits home immediately, commenting not only on the physical scars left by artillery, but the emotional scars of the violence that everyone involved must endure. The slogan works perfectly with the image, creating an overall effective piece of rhetoric.