The murderer* by Franz von Stuck

This composition of rare dramatic intensity fully belongs to the German Symbolist movement and academic art. Entitled “The murderer”, this remarkable painting illustrates the torments of human conscience and the relentless pursuit of personified remorse that harasses the guilty. The renowned artist Franz von Stuck uses classical ancient mythology here to powerfully address universal and timeless psychological themes.

In the left part of the painting, three nude female figures representing the deities of punishment emerge from the shadow of a monumental wall. Dark, sinuous snakes are coiled around their arms and mingle with their dark hair in disturbing poses. In the damp paved alley in the background, a man dressed in dark clothing flees hastily, turning around in a desperate movement toward the body lying behind him. The chromatic mood is characterized by cold tones of bluish grey and raw umber, creating a damp and rainy atmosphere. The pale light is reflected on the wet ground, selectively illuminating the pale body of the foreground female figure.

The artist displays extraordinary talent in the realistic and rigorous treatment of human anatomy and the textures of light and shadow. His oil painting technique lends a dramatic spiritual depth as well as a fantastic atmosphere to this pursuit scene.