Art - Le Char de la mort - The Chariot of Death by Jules Theophile Schuler

 

 

O Death, probably the only certain event in the life of human beings!

Death has fascinated almost everyone at some point in their lives. Naturally, as art imitates life, artists have tried to portray what they understand about death in their art.

Le Char de la mort, translated as “The Chariot of Death”, is an allegorical painting by Jules Theophile Schuler (1821-1878). According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, an allegory is "the expression of truths or generalizations about human existence by means of symbolic figures and actions.” So an allegorical painting is basically a painting that depicts something, while talking about something else.

Here is an image of Schuler I found on Wikimedia Commons:

 

This is a beautiful painting with many parts. I currently have it as my PC wallpaper, although I think I would appreciate its nuances much more if I had a large poster made out of it.

I watched this video for a brief summary of the painting. The video is in French, but one can switch on the auto-translated English subtitles. I love technology when it works!

Surprisingly, I didn’t find many videos explaining this painting. I have weird interests 🙂

 

• The painting was created in the interval of years 1848-1851.
• This is a HUGE painting! See this screenshot:

 

The backdrop for the creation of this painting was a regime-changing revolt in Paris that occurred in February 1848. Its violence and destruction probably left a lasting impression on Theophile.

The painting has a pyramid-shaped structure, with allegorical figures depicted in it. The chariot is driven by 13 horses. Seven horses are shown in skeletal forms and 6 in flesh. The first “flash horse” (extreme left) is already “in the shadows.” You can also see sparks under their hooves, probably signifying the speed of the death chariot.

 

 At the lower right is the traditional depiction of death as it was popular in medieval times onwards, i.e., as a skeleton. Death is grabbing and dragging an execution with his right hand, while with his left hand, he is signaling “The Wandering Jew” to go away. According to Wikipedia, “The Wandering Jew” (occasionally referred to as the Eternal Jew, a translation of the German "der Ewige Jude") is a mythical immortal man whose legend began to spread in Europe in the 13th century. In the original legend, a Jew who taunted Jesus on the way to the Crucifixion was then cursed to walk the Earth until the Second Coming.” This is an interesting juxtaposition and a biblical connection.

 

However, the new development in this painting is the depiction of death as an angel with black wings. She is driving the chariot.

 

At the top of pyramid is Dante Alighieri, famous for the divine comedy, his “guided tour” of hell, purgatory, and paradise.

The backdrop of the painting is dominated by “Christ on cross” in the extreme top left- the ultimate symbol of Christian salvation.

 

Right below Dante is the depiction of arts in the form of a lyre and a painter. The painter is Schuler himself! He is one on the right in a white “top” or whatever the garment is called.

Below this depiction are the 3 forms of love - conjugal love, love between siblings, and the love of a mother for her child. The mother depicted is modeled on Schuler’s sister.

The events of 1848 had a huge impact on Schuler. You can see the French “revolutionary” flag in tatters in this painting, also seen in the famous “Liberty leading the people” painting by Eugène Delacroix (shown below). 

 

The regime change that happened in 1848 is depicted by an old king who has his crown flown away from him.

 

A greedy moneylender is shown at extreme right. His coins are shown flying away in the wind. I think it signifies that death takes away the man, and a man’s wealth is left behind.

 

There are a few other notable figures in the painting as well. We have the pope here, with his bible, and keys of St. Peter pointing towards the sky. These are the keys of heaven. According to Wikipedia, this concept is explicitly referenced in the Bible in Matthew 16:19. Here is an accepted translation:

"I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."

 

Then we have Masaniello. This is an interesting figure. According to Wikipedia, Masaniello was an Italian fisherman, who led the Neapolitan Revolt of 1647 against the rule of Habsburg Spain in the Kingdom of Naples. He is wearing a red cap. This is a Phrygian cap, and according to Encyclopedia Britannice, “…it became an emblem of liberty during the French Revolution (1787-1799). It was adopted by the revolutionaries as “the red cap of liberty” and continues to be associated with the national allegorical figure of Liberté. “He is the only figure in the painting sitting confidently, not at all afraid of death.

 

We also have an old man with an hourglass, in a posture similar to that of “The Thinker,” contemplating death.

 

The painter reflects on his own mortality in the painting as well. Smack in the middle of the painting, we find a grave marker bearing the name of the painter.

 

 

The whole “scene” is lit from the left. This may be a reference to how death eventually leads to heaven or may have some other meaning that I am not aware of.

A beautiful painting overall, deeply seeped in the events happening at the time it was painted, but also strangely relevant today as well. Human nature and its flaws don’t change that quickly.