one’s life is also the lives of others.

John Singer Sargent, ‘Gassed’ and ‘Six Studies for Gassed’ (1918)

In Gassed there is little suffering. Or rather, what suffering there is is outweighed by the painting’s compassion. In spite of the vomiting figure the scene has almost nothing in common with Owen’s vision of the gas victim whose blood comes ‘gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs’. What Sargent has depicted, instead, is the solace of the blind: the comfort of putting your trust in someone, of being safely led.

The striking thing about WHA is that very nearly every character is genuinely altruistic. This does not mean that they are good. This does not mean that they cause no harm, do no evil. Instead, they are all too aware of the harm they cause and the evil they perpetrate. A witch's entire life is lived in apology for the crimes they are committing. And there isn't a clear solution.

Day 2 and 3 of orufrey week with ‘Tassels’ and ‘Promise’