Description
The contemplation of "swearing on the right", painted by Ferdinand Hodler in 1912, invites a deep reflection on the compositional skills and the visual language that this Swiss artist cultivated meticulously throughout his prolific career. This masterpiece, although it distances itself from other better known painting in Hodler, offers a rich perspective in symbolism and formal rigor that deserves to be unraveled.
First, the composition of "swearing right" is characterized by an almost ritualist symmetry, consolidating a sense of solemnity and severity. The scene represents a group of five centralized male figures, standing, aligned in a gesture that seems to suggest a promise or an oath. The figures are delineated with firmness and clarity, their features carved with a style that denotes a clear influence of symbolism, artistic current of which Hodler is one of the greatest exponents. Men are dressed in clothing that refer to an ancient aesthetic, evoking a past time and perhaps a collective mythology.
The use of color in this composition is moderate and expressive. Earth's tones and soft blue predominate, with white flashes that illuminate and highlight the figures against a neutral background. It is remarkable how Hodler uses color not only to define shapes, but to imbue the scene with an atmosphere of serenity and reflection. The restricted palette achieves a visual cohesion that reinforces the theme of unity and collective of the scene.
The faces and positions of the characters reveal a contained emotion; Each figure seems isolated in its internal contemplation, despite being a participant of a common act, thus suggesting a tension between the individual and the collective. This is a recurring leitmotiv in Hodler's work, who constantly explored the duality between being and the group, introspection and shared action.
Ferdinand Hodler was a precursor to symbolism in European art. Born in Bern in 1853, his career was marked by a search for expressiveness through the simplification of forms and the use of repetitive motifs, which generated a deep visual and emotional impact. Influenced by landscaping and Alpina Switzerland, Hodler merged elements of nature with its human representations, creating a characteristic and unmistakable visual language.
The work "swearing right" shares certain elements with other paintings of the author, such as "the night" or "the chosen one", where Hodler also explores rituals and scenes of strong symbolic and structural load. However, what distinguishes this painting is its austere elegance and its contained narrative force. The title suggests an act of commitment and loyalty, an oath that is both for and for the community.
Through this deep, although apparently simple work, Hodler invites us to consider universal issues of solidarity, loyalty and the relationship of the individual with the community. The sober monumentality of the figures and their risky frontality reflect an idiosyncratic style that anticipates some of the subsequent developments of modern art. By remaining faithful to its principles of formal clarity and emphasis on symbolism, Hodler leaves us a rich representation of a significant moment that transcends its temporal context and stands as a meditation on human essence.
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