Description
"Swearing on the right" (1912) by Ferdinand Hodler is a work that encapsulates the monumental and symbolically loaded style by which the Swiss artist is widely recognized. In this painting, the viewer is confronted with a rigorously ordered composition that breathes solemnity and cohesion, characteristics that reinforce the theme of the oath.
The painting presents three male human figures, in a solemn oath pose. They hold firmness spears with their left hands while their right hands are raised in a gesture that evokes a solemn promise or commitment. The treatment of figures is stylized, with clear lines and a scheme that reflects the influence of Vienna's secession and symbolism, movements with which Hodler had close affinities.
The uniformity of the figures and their positions suggests not only a connection between the individual characters but also a transcendental unity of purpose, highlighting an atmosphere of camaraderie and loyalty. The rhythmic repetition in the arrangement of the figures underlines the ceremonial nature of the act they are performing; This is a constant in Hodler's work, who sought to express the universal through the individual.
The colors used are sober and are largely limited to earthly and bluish tones that, together with the simplified background, direct the observer's attention towards the action of the figures. This chromatic choice adds weight and severity to the time represented, loading it with a monumentality that raises the act to an almost sacred area.
The background, in contrast to the figures, is deliberately schematic, avoiding distractions and ensuring that all the attention remains in the solemnity of the oath. This background treatment can also be interpreted as a way to abstract the scene of any specific temporal context, thus giving it a timeless and universal quality.
The balance of symmetry and rhythm in the frame, together with the economy of details in the landscape, are distinctive features of Hodler, who constantly sought to capture in his works not only the appearance but the essence of the concepts he represented. Although their figures may seem, at first glance, rigid and formal, there is an emotional and philosophical depth in the sobriety of their gestures and the intensity of their eyes.
The work recalls and complements others paintings of Hodler that explore similar issues of unity, commitment and struggle. His style evolves becoming increasingly introspective and symbolic, always seeking a balance between form and content, between the visible and the spiritual.
In "swearing right", Hodler not only captures a moment of oath but also transcends the mere anecdote to reach a level of symbolism that speaks of human nature and the forces that unite it in the search for common ideals. Painting, therefore, is not just a work of art; It is a meditation on solidarity and collective commitment, as relevant today as it was at the time of its creation.
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