The Garden of Earthly Delights

Continuiamo la nostra esplorazione nel tema della stregoneria con il maestro Goya e le sue opere. Oggi parleremo de La lampada del diavolo, dipinto che prende ispirazione dal dramma di Antonio Zamora, L’esorcizzato per forza.

Michael Talbot is a contemporary British sculptor whose works seem infused with deep reflection on existence and the passage of time. Through his sculptures, often female figures in elegant and delicate poses, Talbot manages to convey a subtle anxiety, an almost imperceptible tension that runs through the bodies he models. This anxiety is not expressed in dramatic gestures or exaggerated poses, but can be felt in the way his figures seem suspended between eternity and the ephemeral, between dream and reality.

In the late Middle Ages, between the 14th and 15th centuries, the motif of the “Danse Macabre” first appeared in conjunction with the plague. The catastrophic epidemic that struck Europe between 1347 and 1351, known as the Black Death, laid the groundwork for a more complex reflection on human mortality and its relationship with earthly reality.

The painting is an etching and aquatint print, depicting a man sleeping with his head resting on a table. Around him are a series of strange and frightening creatures, such as bats, cats, snakes, and owls. The title of the painting, “The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters,” refers to the idea that when reason is not vigilant, fantasy can take over and generate strange thoughts and creatures.

“The Nightmare,” painted in 1781 by Johann Heinrich Füssli, is a pre-romantic masterpiece that delves into the realms of imagination and the irrational. This work, also known as “The Nightmare,” stands out for its emotional intensity and visual impact.