Asia, move over…

In April 1917, the United States of America joined the war. As a result, the artists of the Panthéon had to alter the composition of the painting yet again. Where could the artists fit in this new major ally? Ultimately, the Asian section of the painting, which included China and Japan, was sacrificed to be altered and include the new actors in the war. The Chinese laborers were painted over to accommodate a prominent American flag.

Unfortunately, sketches or other material that could reveal what the painting looked like before the inclusion of the United States, have been lost. There are merely some descriptions in letters and other communication.

In contemporary discussions about the commemoration of the Chinese Labour Corps, the Panthéon, and particularly painting over the laborers, is used as an illustration of how the Chinese were not taken seriously as an ally and have been forgotten in history (fig. 1).