Karl Wilhelm Diefenbach, Island of the Dead, ca 1905 by Natasja Tollenaar

About "Karl Wilhelm Diefenbach, Island of the Dead, ca 1905"

by Natasja Tollenaar

About the artwork

A mythical picture of the island of the dead to which a person is rowed in a rowboat under a dark sky. Lugubrious mythology from a forgotten time about death.

The Island of the Dead is based on an old Italian legend about a deceased person who steps into his own coffin. There are also recognizable associations with Greek mythology. The standing figure can be interpreted as an ancient priest, the dark water evokes the image of the river Styx over which the deceased were rowed to the realm of the dead. The windows in the rock suggest the idea of a tomb.

The main theme of the painting can be characterized as: the transition from life to death. Böcklin's interpretation does not give any reference to physical decay, in line with the taboo prevailing at the time: death was not discussed, let alone the deterioration of the body. An image was created as if life after death continued seamlessly, at the time also taking shape in monumental grave monuments for the wealthy. Böcklin's work also fits into that thinking.

Death Island (German: Die Toteninsel) is a series of paintings by the Swiss painter Arnold Böcklin (1827-1901). That must be what this work is based on.

Karl Wilhelm Diefenbach (21 February 1851, Hadamar, then part of the Duchy of Nassau, now Hesse - 15 December 1913) was a German painter and social reformer. He was a pioneer of the naturist and peace movements. His ideas included living in harmony with nature and rejection of monogamy, turning away from any religion (although he was a theologian) and a vegetarian diet.
As a painter, Diefenbach was an independent representative of symbolism.