Arnold BÖCKLIN - Fight of centaurs (1873)

 

Fight of centaurs

1873
Oil painting on canvas (105x195 cm)
Kunstmuseum, Basel

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This work more than representing a scene of horror, it represents a sensation. In an otherworldly landscape, the canvas is dominated by figures of heroic centaurs engaged in a highly dramatic choreography. The tension of this painting derives mainly from the contorted poses and tormented poses of the centaurs, which are drawn with a few brushstrokes rich in color, from which a very acute dramatic sense emerges.

Böcklin spent most of his artistic career in Italy, a country where he was able to find inspiration for classical and mythological themes, which he was able to interpret in a romantic style similar to that of Eugène Delacroix and Théodore Géricault.

Great was his popularity in life, achieved thanks to his unreal scenes, threatening tones and a latent feeling of fear; his works inspired German expressionism and French symbolism. Great interest was reserved for his allegorical paintings, which aroused admiration for the strong impact and strong emotional participation in the observer.

Comparing artists: Delacroix, Géricault, Giulio Romano, Schmidt-Rottluff