ADSactly Culture - THE MOST TERRIFYING PAINTINGS IN ART
THE MOST TERRIFYING PAINTINGS IN ART
For this post we did not stop to know the measures of the works, the techniques used, nor the museums in which they are found, but in the stories or concepts that inspired them. Therefore, if any of the works is visually strong, I invite you to read the stories that accompany them. Perhaps in this way the painter's gaze can be understood. Let's start with the recount:
Rank 5: THE PESADILLA by Johann Heinrich Füssli
As soon as Füssli presented this painting, it became famous for its chilling visual resemblance to anyone's nightmares. The painting was so popular that Füssli painted several versions. The painting blurs the lines, as in the dream, showing both the sleeping dreamer and the content of his dreams. This painting plays with the idea or belief of the incubus, a male demon that seduces women while they sleep. It is believed that they are sexual demons that climb to the top of the victims and do not let them move. Many people who have had this experience say they have felt a person at the top of their body not allowing them to breathe. Some scientists say this is simply what we know as sleep paralysis. Those of us who have lived this experience know that it is horrible and suffocating.
Rank 4: THE HUESCA CAMPANA by José Casado del Alisal
This painting responds to a legend that many believe to be true. Although there are many versions of the story, the most common tell how a king saw his subjects rebelling against him and called an old master to guide him in his actions. The master, taking a sabre, without pronouncing words, began to cut flowers from the plants. When the king saw this action, he sent for some rebels to build a bell that would be heard throughout Huesca. When they arrived at the castle, he sent them all to behead; then he asked them to call the rest of the rebels to see the fate of their companions and take an example. With that punishment, who's going to want to rebel.
Post No 3: JUDITH AND HOLOFERNES of Caravaggio
This painting takes the biblical theme and very specifically the story of Judith. The story of Judith is the fourth book of the apocryphal books of the Old Testament. It speaks of Holofernes, a general sent by the Syrian king Nebuchadnezzar with 120,000 men to conquer Bethulia. After 33 days of siege and when the city was about to surrender, Judith, a young widow, appeared before the priest Uzziah offering to save the metropolis. With her maid, Judith went to the Holofernes camp and asked for asylum on the condition that she could go out to pray outside the camp. Seduced by her beauty, Holofernes invited her to a banquet in his tent. At the banquet, Holofernes gets drunk and falls asleep. Judith takes a sword, decapitates the man, wraps the severed head in a bag and returns with it to her village. Judith was apparently a woman of arms to take.
Rank 2: MEDUSA by Peter Paul Rubens
This painting is inspired by the story of Medusa. According to Greek mythology, it is said that the incredible beauty of Medusa dazzled Poseidon, who in love with her decides to seduce her (some speak of rape), in the temple of Athena. This aroused the wrath of Athena, who punished Medusa by turning her into a being with eyes that emitted such light that those who looked at her directly petrified. Not content with this punishment alone, Athena makes instead of hair, Medusa has snakes. But not everything remained there. From that fortuitous idyll that existed between Poseidon and Medusa, a pregnancy arose that only increased the resentment of Athena, who ordered Perseus to kill Medusa. Perseus obeys Athena's orders and kills Medusa by cutting off her head in a single act. See how far a woman's envy can go.
Rank 1: SATURN DEVOURING HIS SON from Francisco de Goya
This violent, dark and terrible work belongs to the famous Black Paintings of the Spanish artist, so called not only because of the predominant color used in the paintings, but also because of the melancholic style of its subject matter. According to some art scholars, this painting is a metaphor; they explain that the figure of this painting represents the passage of time, which consumes and devours everything. However, beyond metaphor, this painting is also inspired by another Greek myth. Let us remember that according to the myth, Saturn obtained from his older brother Titan the favor of reigning in his place, but he set a condition: "Saturn was not to raise children. Saturn married Ops (Rhea), with whom he had several children, but because of the pact he had signed with his brother, he devoured his children. What some men do to stay in power.
As you can see, many of these works are terrible because behind them there are more terrible stories. In this case, the painters have had the imagination and the ability to recreate those stories, to represent them on canvas.
Well, I hope you enjoyed these paintings and the stories. Remember to vote for @ADSactly as a witness and visit our server on Discord. Until a next smile;)
BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCES
https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_pesadilla
https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Campana_de_Huesca
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medusa_(Rubens)
https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturno_devorando_a_su_hijo
Written by @nancybriti
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A lot of these painters, like Caravaggio and David (whose death of Murat is far superior but not as terrifying) were going for the dramatic factor, Goya should be at the tip top of the list for the pure fact that his black paintings were basically emotional therapy for him after he recovered from his lead poisoning and hearing loss, they were not meant to be seen and were a true view into his mind set, that in itself is very very terrifying...
The images are horrible, but the story is more terrible. I am impressed by the story of La campana de Huesca and La Medusa. They are stories that make your hair stand on end. In the first, only to make an example, they take people's heads off; and in the other, because a woman felt anger and jealousy she was able to do everything she did. The man is the only one who produces terror! Thank you for this post. It's very interesting!
True. This is like urban legends whose backstories are even more terrible than the urban legends themselves. Bloody Mary, for instance, who went crazy trying to conceive a child in real life and was demeaned and threatened by those around her all her life. Then she burned religious people at the stake during her rule. Much scarier than a ghost appearing in your bathroom mirror.
Oh my, all in the of celebrating Halloween, you've just attracted some fears into my with this pictures and stories of yours. Great art indeed, even without the knowledge of the entire story, with the art I can deduce what the full story would look like. @nancybriti happy Halloween and hope you're enjoying the season.
The images offered by these paintings are truly terrifying. Like all works of art, they shake our sensibility. These keep meanings related to envy, revenge, negative feelings that impoverish the spirit. The ones that impact me the most are * The nightmare * and * Medusa *. Terrible publication, @nancybriti. Thank you for showing us another face of art. A hug.
I'm not much of a lover of terror because then I'm afraid to sleep alone. These paintings are horrible! I didn't know the story behind The Jellyfish. It's a terrible story full of envy and revenge. Now when I see the image I will know why she became that woman with snakes in her hair and only the head appears. Thank you for educating with paintings and stories. I think I learned something about painting.
All the painting and the story behind of the painting is nice specially MEDUSA. I have seen a movie where there was a character like medusa . i was forgot the name but it was an amazing movie. You guys always presents some wonderful contents.
so thanks a lot for sharing the knowledge.
these are some really distrubing images and the ont hat stands out for me is the THE PESADILLA by Johann Heinrich Füssli while it may not be the most gruesome it triggers a story a friend told me years ago of waking up and not being able to move as if a demon was sitting on her chest and all she could do was pray and hope that it would eventually stop
That story still sticks with me to this day
Yes, the painting The Nightmare has that characteristic: although it is not the most frightening, the one who has had the experience of feeling the weight on his body while he sleeps, cannot help but shudder. Thank you for your comment , @chekohler.
Awesome pictures thanks
Really,,This is horrible..
Great post. This stuff is right up my alley