This specific painting titled “Water” is the third in the series. It depicts naked bodies piled up on either side of the panel with the majority being on the left. Although the bodies are more sketch-like, there is intense detail and emotion shown in the faces of the figures. In the middle of the piece, there is a woman, with her child in her arms. The description of the piece states that this is a “twentieth-centruy image of madonna and child: an injured mother cradling her dead infant.” Further, the description says that after the bomb dropped, people were screaming for water, hence the title of the painting. In usual circumstances a mother and child is a symbol of hope (as stated in the description), however, due to the mass distruction, humanity and mortality has set in distorting that symbol into a message of death.
Title of piece: Water
Artists: Iri and Toshi Maruki
Date Painted: 1950
Medium: Sumi ink, charcoal or conté on paper
Dimensions: 180 × 720 cm
The Hiroshima Panels (I)-(XIV) are on display permanently at Maruki Gallery
References
- https://marukigallery.jp/en/hiroshimapanels/
