Moving, exquisite and thought provoking are things that come to mind when experiencing the “Images of the Great War” exhibit at the Huntsville Museum of Art.

The exhibit features drawings and paintings from the home front and from the soldiers themselves. It opened Aug. 8 and will continue until Nov. 15. “Images of the Great War” captures the first two horrific years of that era. Walking through each passage feels like entering the war itself, and it evokes the feeling of remorse.

The Home Front images are beautiful pieces of work. Some of them are for the purpose of propaganda. One piece from the Home Front depicts the German officers’ brutality toward a woman to be a metaphor for the invasion of the French or Belgian region.

There were many sketches and paintings of the soldiers and by the soldiers. They represented the rough and terrible life that was experienced in the trenches and the war. The images touched your heart and made you feel the pain and fear that the soldiers felt. Images like a young man severely wounded but still standing exposed at his post shows the courage and dedication these men gave to defend their countries and their fellow soldiers.

Even the staff of the museum was intrigued by the exhibit’s features and qualities. Each of them wanted to walk inside and take a peek. The artwork of this exhibit captures different perspectives of the war, some of them brutal and sad while others evoke anger and fear.

Overall it was a unique and one of a kind exhibit. Experiencing those first two years of war opens the viewer’s eyes to new aspects they had never thought of before. Guest Services receptionist at the Huntsville Museum of Arts, Wendy Campbell, buzzed with excitement.

“This exhibit has really drawn me in. The prints and drawings really show one the stark realities of the Great War. As a historian, I find it to be a fascinating testimony to what the soldiers endured,” Campbell said.

And I agree.