In examining battle painting, or battle art, I have intentionally discussed only the Estonian War of Independence, which secured our statehood and independence for us.
If we consider literature that examines Estonian art history, it would seem as if the War of Independence was not depicted at all. Only a few battle paintings have survived. Soviet rule worked hard to eliminate all traces of it. Burning, destruction, disfigurement, hacking to pieces with axes. In art history itself, belittlement, detraction, and hushing-up ultimately set in. The War Museum, where most of the art from the War of Independence was kept, was completely liquidated according to orders from the Red authorities, and the museum’s artefacts were consigned to destruction.
Thus, it could seem that we had no battle paintings. The Soviet treatment of art history contributed to this perception. It left the impression that only second-rate artists dealt with such subject matter, and that their aim was to shovel money that was generously paid out by the Estonian Ministry of Defence into their coffers. The overall amounts that were actually paid did not prove to be that generous if we examine the financial information that has miraculously been preserved in the War Museum archives. Even more so, quite a few artists received even heftier amounts from the Estonian Cultural Endowment.
Art on the theme of the War of Independence did not disappear at all. It was published in newspapers, magazines, publications, books, and also on colour picture postcards starting in the 1930s. The latter proved to be quite popular among the people. Approximately 200 works of art on the theme of the War of Independence, including portraits of military commanders, have successfully been digitised from various sources. According to this information, a total of 28 artists worked on battle art to a greater or lesser degree.
Nevertheless, contemporary art history has been unable to refute those misconceptions and falsehoods that have intentionally been strewn about by Soviet art history. Here and there the impression created by Soviet art history is being copied. With some variations, but nevertheless. Hence we can state that hushed-up Estonian battle art has existed for almost a century.