Painting is from an earlier incident, 1880s I believe. Nice painting, fine artist whose works are rarely seen.
Yes...Academically, it is a “fine” painting. Composition, Figure drawing, lighting effects, etc are all top-of-the-line. It’s style is reminiscent of the high Dutch Renaissance, but the subject matter and the way it is presented ,IMO, reduces what could be “Art” into “Propaganda”.
I feel similarly about movies like “Avatar”, which, while being a triumph of the filmmaker’s art, is a vehicle for anti-business, anti-capitalist, anti-military, anti-technology, anti-American, green propaganda.
Like I said...Just My Opinion! (I have a LOT of those!) LOL.