Description of the painting by Peter Bruegel “Forty on the gallows”
As for the picture, which has the name “Forty on the gallows”, then it is necessary to begin with the fact that it was the last work of the great artist – Pieter Bruegel.
On the canvas, one can observe an amazing interweaving of some inner, spiritual disappointments of the master, and some desperate attempt to return to that harmony that was once lost, and later the realization that this is all in vain. No wonder the artist makes a point of view, so high above the whole plot.
The viewer can observe the peasants, who, without thinking about anything, began to dance, right at the foot of the gallows. In the distance, you can see a beautiful landscape, which makes admire tranquility. Thanks to all these, at first glance, insignificant nuances, the picture is filled with an incomprehensible untrained spectator, to understand the fine nature of the master and the same uniqueness of his work. If we retreat a little to history, then the author himself highly appreciated this picture, as can be evidenced by the fact that he bequeathed this canvas to his wife. But, if you look a little at the other side at this picture, then you can interpret it in a completely different way.
For example, the magpie who sits on the gallows may be the personification of those people who, because of their gossip, condemn innocent people to death. But it all depends on the viewer’s worldview, because looking at the people that are nearby, we can say with confidence that they do not have a drop of fear of the gallows. Perhaps the imprint on the picture left a disease of the artist, who overcame him in the last years of his life.
The master manages to show the life of the common people, in more generalized forms, which allows the artist to stand out from the quality of similar artists of that period.
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