In the context of The Veteran in a New Field, analyze the Biblical themes of the Analysis.
The painting references multiple verses from the Bible. The New and Old Testaments contain the phrase "all flesh is grass," which gives the actions of the veteran a double meaning: the veteran is cutting down grass as he once cut down flesh in war, making him both a farmer and a killer.The painting also references Isaiah 2:4, which speaks of peace after war. The verse calls for former soldiers to "beat their swords into plowshares" in order to no longer participate in war. This verse parallels the actions of the veteran in the painting, who has stopped participating in war with the end of the American Civil War and instead turned to farming. The veteran has turned in his sword for a scythe, a farming tool like the plowshare. The comparison to Isaiah 2:4 may therefore suggest a call for peace.
Isaiah 2:4 Bible all flesh is grass American Civil War Isaiah 2