Robert Gould: Sulfur Soldiers and Canary Girls

Sadness of a Star

Minerva stepped out calmly from my head
And I will be forever crowned with blood
There is reason within and sky above my skull
Where Goddess you were buckling on your arms

Of my misfortunes this is not the worst
This almost mortal wound became a star
The secret sorrow which is my despair
Is more than any other soul could hide

I bear with me a suffering of fire
Just as a glow-worm bears his body’s flame
As in a soldier’s heart France is on fire
Just as rich pollen fills the lily’s heart

Guillaume Apollinaire

Oil and Sulfur on Panel, 2015, 12"X14"

Oil and Sulfur on panel, 2015, 11.5"X 16"

This series of paintings that were in part inspired by the above poem from G. Apollinaire. Apollinaire created this poem after he was wounded in the head while in the trenches of World War 1.
In order to arrive at creating paintings which incorporate some kind of representational element that bridges our physical world with the language of the painted world, I have created a yellow pigment using pure sulfur. I have used this pigment for representing the skin and tissue of both WW1 solders and WW1 female munition workers.
Sulfur is one element that is often associated with war. It is one of only three ingredients that combine to form gunpowder. The female munition workers were referred to as "canary's" because there skin turned yellow after working with the toxic high explosives.