In "The Battles Painter," Arturo Pérez-Reverte critiques the commercialization of horror and the artistic value that society places on images of suffering. He argues that when art becomes a commodity, the impact of such images diminishes, as they fail to evoke genuine awareness or empathy. The inherent problem lies in the desensitization that accompanies our interaction with these photographs, leading to a disconnect from the realities they depict.

Pérez-Reverte's perspective suggests that photographs of war lose their significance in a culture that consumes them without reflection. By emphasizing the need for a deeper consciousness, he points out that the existence of these images offers little in terms of fostering compassion or understanding. Thus, in a world overwhelmed by images, the true essence and meaning of such portrayals become diluted, rendering them ineffective in conveying the gravity of human suffering.