Symbolists 1886

French symbolism was both a "continuation of the Romantic and a reaction to the realistic approach of impressionism. The term sumbolism means the systematic use of symbols or pictorial conventions to express an allegorical meaning. The symbolist painters used these symbols from mythology and dream imagery for a visual language of the soal." Symbolists believed that art should show the truth but not in a direct way. They paint absolout truths in a metophorocal and suggestive manner. The theme of most symbolist paintings are death, dreams, evil, decedance, femmes fatales, adrogyny, perversity and the occult. www.huntfor.com/arthistory/c19th/symbolism.htm

The Death of the Grave Digger by Carlos Schwabe

Oil on Canvas

Shwabe has used a mystical theme to create this symbolist painting. He has used oil to successfully create a realistic scene, building up different layers to create depth, shade and realism. The brush lines are very difficult to see if possible at all. He has used a realistic location, a human subject and another realistic subject to create a realistic happening as if it were an everyday one. He has produced this scene with different symbols which the viewers have to read to get the meaning of the painting. Behing the two main subjects the background is detailed and interesting. This keeps the viewer interested for longer with more to look at and the the snowy scene creates an atmosphere of peace ans silence. To be sure that the audience's focus is on the two meanigful subjects in the painting, Shwabe has chosen dark colours to contrast with the light background. Also the drooping branches of the tree they are under seperates the background from the foreground and we are able to view them seperatly. The wings on the female subject symbolise that she is an angel and her dark colours show that she is the Angel of Death. Her scythe shaped wings also imply this. The green glow hovering in her right hand symbolise and are an example of her powers. She is looking down to the ground which we accosiate with hell but she is also pointing up to the sky which would make us think that she is sending him to heaven. The fact that she is displaying both options could suggest that she has not yet chosen where to send him. Her elegant wings are reaching into the grave and look as if they are suppoting or cradling him maybe to comfort him. The presence of the angel tells us that this man is dead. He is holding a spade in one hand meaning that he was digging the grave himself which suggests that he caused his own death. This is also implied with the expression on his face. He doesnt seem surprised that death is visiting him just amazed at her appearance. The artist has used the rule of thirds to draw the viewers eye to the male subjects head, the straight line that the angels body creates and also makes us follow her left arm up to her hand not letting us miss this important symbol. The positioning of the subjects also play a symbolic part in the peice. The man is not only below the angel but he is in the ground and looking up at her. This humbles him and strips away any importance he has as a person. The angel is high and mighty rightly looking down on her client. She is taking control and using her powers to death with the death of this man.