Gewonde duif

Constant’s imagery of doves from the period 1950 to 1951 has been connected to Pablo Picasso’s work depicting the same subject. There is a significant discrepancy between the two, however. While Picasso’s doves were associated with peace Constant’s are integral to his war related artwork. Note the title: Constant’s wounded dove is not a symbol of peace but a casualty of war. The grey-hued bird lies limp with his claws stretched up and out, rather than flying through the sky. Constant, therefore, transforms Picasso’s symbol of peace into a representation of war. It is likely that the artist was influenced by Jan Elburg’s poem The viewpoint of the dove which contains the line, “Since time immemorial eyes have sooner seen down than blood, that down grows on Picasso’s doves: they are savaged by splinters sharp as knives”. In 1952 this poem was published along with nine woodcut illustrations by Constant.