A Life Etched in Conflict: The Story of Alfred Bastien Alfred Théodore Joseph Bastien, born in 1873, was more than just a Belgian artist; he was a chronicler of his time, a soldier-painter whose canvases bore witness to the tumultuous events of the early 20th century. His life story is inextricably linked with the shifting landscapes of war and remembrance, moving from academic training to the harrowing realities of the First World War and ultimately culminating in ambitious panoramic depictions of national heroism. Bastien’s journey began within the established art circles of Belgium, where…