Cultural Fragmentation, Subjectivism, and Nonrepresentation. During the nineteenth century, the political map of Europe became increasingly defined by territorial, sovereign nation-states. The leaders and the people of these states, moreover, came to embrace nationalism, which often opposed the glories of one nation against the inferiority of others. By the last third of the century these European states had also entered into a global competition for colonies and trade, and they came to view warfare as a rational and logical way for states to settle their competitive differences. As a result, Europe became increasingly fragmented politically and culturally. The outbreak of World War I in 1914 was a thunderous result of political fragmentation, and the artistic style called Modernism was a consequence of growing cultural differences. Long gone from the artistic scene was the confidence in progress, improvement, and universalism that...