The Red Cross

The Red Cross, a painting by Pierre Puvis de Chavannes, dated 1870. 



The artwork depicts a woman, possibly a nurse, in a long robe and head covering, holding a lit torch aloft with her right arm. Her left hand is to her ear, suggesting she is listening or signaling. She stands in a desolate landscape, possibly a battlefield, with ruined buildings in the background and fallen figures lying on the ground in the foreground. The scene is rendered in monochrome, primarily shades of gray and brown, creating a somber and somewhat melancholic atmosphere. The style is characteristic of Puvis de Chavannes's work, with its simplified forms and muted palette. The painting is 0.6 meters wide and 0.94 meters high, and is housed in the Petit Palais.