A journey to the Isle of the Dead

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A journey to the Isle of the Dead, 2023
At the heart of this enigmatic scene, delicate branches and leaves litter the ground, revealing that this space may not be as simple as it first appears. These vegetal elements suggest a subtle breeze, an invisible force transcending the pictorial frame.
Carried by the gentle breeze present in the painting, the leaves and branches seem to traverse the artwork to settle in the room, creating an ethereal atmosphere in this strangely empty space.
Upon closer observation of the composition, the detail of a hand gripping from within the painting to traverse and emerge catches the eye. This scene heralds the arrival of the ferryman, preparing to guide the soul toward an elusive reality.

The room thus becomes the receptacle of the symbolic materialization of the passage between life and death.
At this moment, the presence of the white drapery, seemingly there by chance, takes on significance.
Evoking the ritual preparation for the ultimate journey, this shroud, destined to cover the deceased's body during its transit to the other shore, embodies the funeral rite accompanying the post-mortem voyage. The most discerning will have noticed the absence of the boat in the painting, as if the journey had not yet begun.

We then realize that the child upon whom our gaze has rested from the beginning has crossed the threshold of life and is about to embark on its ultimate journey, guided by the luminous source emanating from the top of the composition, seemingly tracing a path for it.

You are invited to make it your own and provide your own interpretation.
Throughout the creation process, several perspectives have emerged within me, and I wish to keep them open to all interpretations, including yours.

Here is my reinterpretation of The Isle of the Dead (Die Toteninsel) - Third Version, dating from 1883 by Arnold Böcklin.
Peinture Originale - The Isle of the Dead (Die Toteninsel) - Third Version, dating from 1883 by Arnold Böcklin