{"product_id":"bob-barker-still-a-soldier","title":"Still a Soldier","description":"\u003cp\u003eHand-signed limited edition by Bob Barker.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn ‘Still a Soldier’, Northern Impressionist Bob Barker reflects on the bonds that unite humanity, the memories that remain long after the fighting ends, and the compassion that can survive even in the darkest of times.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 2014, Bob Barker painted 'Sod This for a Game of Soldiers', inspired by one of the most extraordinary moments of humanity to emerge from the First World War: the Christmas Truce of 1914. On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, British and German soldiers emerged from their trenches into No Man’s Land. For a brief, remarkable moment, the guns fell silent. Men who had been ordered to kill one another met as human beings, sharing cigarettes, rations and stories of home. Enemies became friends, if only for a fleeting moment, reminding the world that beneath the uniform, they were all human.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e'Still A Soldier' revisits that remarkable moment through the eyes of an older man, long since his fighting days. Through atmospheric brushwork, rich tonal contrasts and carefully observed detail, Barker invites us to pause and reflect on these moments of humanity and hope within history.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSitting quietly before the painting, he gazes back at those young men and the extraordinary moment they shared. Perhaps he remembers comrades lost, the innocence of youth, or that brief glimpse of peace amid the devastation of war.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThough the years have passed and the battlefield exists only in memory, something of the soldier remains. His hands are clasped behind his back, his memories carried silently within him. The poppies beside him speak of remembrance, sacrifice and the enduring cost of conflict.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFind out more about Bob Barker’s art \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.castlefineart.com\/collections\/bob-barker\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003ehere\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bob Barker","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":66374388056413,"sku":"BBA-SLE-LAN-41855","price":1448.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0883\/1906\/6461\/files\/BBAStilltheSoldier_0.jpg?v=1793611415","url":"https:\/\/www.castlefineart.com\/en-au\/products\/bob-barker-still-a-soldier","provider":"Castle Fine Art","version":"1.0","type":"link"}