Soldiers Cover During Battle – Original War Illustration by Charles Burki, 1953
This dramatic wartime drawing is signed Charles Burki at the lower left — unmistakably the hand of the Dutch artist Charles Burki (1909–1994), known for his powerful pen-and-ink and gouache depictions of combat and survival, many inspired by his harrowing experiences during World War II in the Dutch East Indies and his later work as a war correspondent and illustrator.
Description
The composition shows a group of soldiers sheltering behind jagged rocks while an explosion erupts immediately behind them. Burki has executed the figures and terrain in meticulous black-and-white linework, using dense hatching and stippling to achieve texture and shadow. The explosion is rendered with dynamic washes of red, orange, and black gouache, heightening the immediacy of danger and chaos.
In the foreground, one soldier tends to a wounded comrade on a stretcher while two others crouch low, covering their ears against the deafening blast. On the right, in the distance, a small group of infantrymen returns fire from a rocky ridge. The contrast between the quiet intensity of the foreground and the fury of the explosion gives the drawing cinematic tension — a hallmark of Burki’s illustrative realism.
The signature “Charles Burki” appears clearly at lower left in his characteristic post-war script. The medium is likely pen and ink with gouache highlights on textured artist’s board, dating stylistically to around 1950–1955, when Burki produced a series of works about the Korean War and post-WWII military subjects for Dutch and international publications.
Context
Burki survived both the Japanese occupation of the Dutch East Indies and the sinking of a ship during the war. In Japan he survived the atomic bomb at 1.5 kilometer from impact in Nagasaki. After liberation he became one of the Netherlands’ leading illustrators, producing covers and reportage art for magazines such as De Groene Amsterdammer and Elseviers Weekblad. His war pieces are rare and deeply personal — not glorifying battle, but showing its human strain and futility with empathy and technical mastery.
Condition
Very good overall condition; light toning consistent with age, a small brown spot at the lower margin, and minor handling traces at edges. Paper remains stable, and colors are vivid.
Framing suggestion
A dark charcoal-grey or matte black wooden frame with a warm-white archival mat will emphasize both the stark linework and the fiery burst of color. A shadow gap or double mat could further enhance the depth of the scene.
Technique: Pen and ink with gouache highlights Maker: Charles Burki, Dutch, ca. 1950–55
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