“Explosion at the Border Gate” by Charles Burki, 1970 – War Illustration Gouache

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Explosion at the Border Gate by Charles Burki, 1970 – War Illustration Gouache

This powerful original gouache painting by Charles Burki (1909–1994), executed in 1970, captures a moment of terror and chaos in a Middle Eastern or North African wartime setting. The scene is composed with cinematic immediacy: a man in traditional robes recoils in horror as an explosion erupts behind him, sending smoke and debris into the bright desert sky. Soldiers in khaki uniforms appear near a red-and-white border barrier, while onlookers flee in confusion amidst the dust and destruction.

The back of the board bears the title De Toren van Babel (“The Tower of Babel”), suggesting that this work was an illustration for a story or magazine feature by the same name. Burki’s ability to convey the human cost of conflict is evident in the anguished expression of the central figure—his face rendered in raw emotion, his gesture frozen between disbelief and fear. The explosive energy of the composition, combined with Burki’s attention to ethnographic and architectural detail, situates this as one of his more politically and emotionally charged works from the post-war period.

Burki’s art was often informed by his own harrowing wartime experiences. During World War II, he survived imprisonment by Japanese forces, the bombing of a transport ship, and later the atomic bombing of Nagasaki. These experiences profoundly shaped his view of human suffering and endurance, which he continued to express in his later work for illustrated magazines, historical publications, and war-themed commissions throughout the 1960s and 1970s.

This painting exemplifies Burki’s remarkable draughtsmanship, color sense, and mastery of composition—his hallmarks as both illustrator and chronicler of human drama. The tension between vivid color and human fragility gives this image its enduring power.

Condition report: Very good overall condition with light handling traces to the margins. Strong, vibrant colors and stable gouache surface. Verso shows original notes and publication markings.

Framing suggestion: A deep shadowbox frame with a neutral mount will enhance the dramatic composition and preserve the historical annotations on the reverse.

Technique: Gouache on board
Maker: Charles Burki (Dutch-Indonesian, 1909–1994), signed and dated 1970, titled De Toren van Babel verso