When I first looked at this painting, it seemed a little strange. After I spent a few minutes analyzing the painting, "The Death of the Grave-Digger" I believe that the image, or the artist of the image, is trying to show how he believes death will occur for not just the grave digger, but for all of us. For example, the woman standing behind the elderly grave-digger, appears to be fairly young. She is dressed mainly in a navy-like robe, with dark wings protruding from her back. She appears to be an angel of some sort, but she does not give the impression of being an angel associated with peace, love, etc. In addition to the ominous look on the angel's face, she appears to be holding something, that is glowing with a soft green light in her hand. The grave digger is looking up toward the angel's face, with an almost peaceful expression on his face. It seems like he knows that even though this angel may be associated with his death in some way, it does not bother him. I think that he knows that he is older, and it is his time to leave earth, and continue on to the next life. Behind the grave-digger and the angel, possibly an angel of death, there is a graveyard. Interestingly, even thought the painting is entitled "Death of the Grave-Digger" it seems like the graveyard is not the main focus of this painting. It is more of the background image to set the scene for the grave-digger and the angel of death. In addition to the graveyard, there is a large amount of snow on the ground, so it is obviously winter. It appears to be about late February to early March, since the snow is everywhere and does not appear to be melting any time soon. Another indication of spring are the small green buds that are beginning to appear from beneath the snow. Interestingly, they are near the grave-digger and the angel of death. The buds could symbolize new life for the grave-digger, because even though he is near death, it is implied that he will be reborn into new life. This is not only due to the buds which are symbolizing this rebirth, but the angel's body position. She is crouching and pointing upward to heaven, almost like she is trying to allow the grave-digger to come with her to be reborn there.
These elements of winter, and the graveyard set the scene for the gravedigger's death. In addition, they also allow the angel and grave-digger to become the main focus of the painting, but these items are still noticed in the background without being overbearing. I think that the main message from this painting is, that even though death can be a difficult thing to accept in life, it does not have to be the end of something. In the example of the grave-digger, the expression on his face says that even though his death has come, he has lived a fulfilling life, and he does not feel like he is going to die with regrets. In addition, he may be relieved of his suffereing from being a lonely grave-digger, with a limited amount of family left, since most of them have already been taken by death. I think that the irony in this painting comes from the fact that the man is a grave digger, and he has been around death and dead bodies his entire life, he is now dying himself. Interestingly, the grave-digger is pictured with a shovel in his hand, and he is sitting in a hole he has just recently dug. It is almost like he has dug his own grave. The grave-diggerr will be joining the people that have died before him, since it is now his turn to face death. The expression on the man's face is also brave, because he is ready to face death, and he will not be afraid of what is going to happen to him after he dies.
Certain symbolic things stand out in this painting besides the graveyard, and the angel of death. The angel of death is holding a green object in her hand as she hovers over the gravedigger. It is almost like the artist put this here on purpose, to allow the viewer of the painting to wonder what the mysterious object is. My interpretation is that it could be the grave-digger's soul, and he is in the process of leaving his body through the angel's power. It could also be the angel's special preparation, to go about removing his soul from his body. Interestingly, there is a small green cross in the center of her green orb-like object. This could symbolize that is has some sort of divine power. It is symbolic, and ironic in my opinion, because even though she is an angel of death she must come in contact with souls of the departed, a symbol of a life that was on earth. In addition to the green light, I think that another prop in this painting could be the long tree limbs that are around the angel and the grave-digger. The tree branches give the painting a unique look, because they are like the angel's wings around the grave digger. They seem to convey the message that it is the grave-digger's time to die, and it is impossible to escape death.
I think that color plays an important role in this painting. For example, by dressing the angel in a fairly darker robe, it symbolizes that she is associated with something that may not be very pleasant. In this case, it is obviously death. The white of the snow allows the angel and the grave-digger, the main images, and the secondary image, the graveyard to stand out in the painting. The color contrast of the dark blues of the angel, and the reds and browns associated with the grave-diggers robe, stand out against the white snow. Since the graveyard interacts with the message of death in this painting, and allows the scene to be set for the main images positioned near the front of the graveyard, it is the secondary image. By placing the large angel and grave-digger near the front of the graveyard, that artist allows the person who observes the painting to notice them first, making them the main image. By showing the grave-digger laying on a pile of dirt, and other debris, the artist is using them as a prop. This prop further symbolizes the association with the grave-digger and death, because dirt is often associated with burial. Everything about this painting symbolizes the grave-diggers soon to come death, but the expression of peace on the grave-digger's face sets the interesting contrast for this painting. It allows the observer to notice not only the negative, but the positive fact that the grave-digger is accepting his death, and his lonliness in the graveyard has finally ended. Even though death is feared in culture, in the past, and today it does not have to be something that we avoid thinking about. The grave-digger is a good example of this because not only does he face his death, he looks like he believes that he has lived a fulfilling life. In addition to this, another message from this painting is that death does not have to be the end, but a beginning. The new flower buds, the angel's upward hand gesture toward the sky and heaven, and the orb-like object with divine power allow the observer to realize that the grave-digger may be reborn after his death. Interestingly, the artist was able to creatively contrast the depressing image of death, with the positive image of life and rebirth in this painting.
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