The Wounded Angel

The wounded angel in Finnish Haavoittunut enkeli, is an oil painting of the Finnish painter Hugo Simberg from the year 1903. Located in Ateneum in Helsinki. It is one of the most famous paintings by Simberg and was selected in 2006 by the audience of Ateneums to Finland's "national painting".

Image content

Like many other paintings of Simberg 's The Wounded Angel from a serious, almost somber mood. The central figure of the painting is a young angel sitting on a stretcher carried by two boys. The angel wears a blindfold over the eyes and on the wings there are traces of blood indicated. The two young carriers are dressed in drab colors, reminiscent of mourning. The rear of the wearer is looking at the viewer with serious expression. The seriousness of facial expression is enhanced by the youthfulness of the figure shown.

Hugo Simberg always refused to give any explanation of the meanings of his paintings. He considers it essential that the observer was free to draw their own conclusions from the symbolism of the image. It is known, however, that Hugo Simberg was suffering from meningitis when he had the idea for the painting. He described it as a source of strength during the time in which he recovered from the disease.

Effect

When Hugo Simberg was commissioned to paint a part of the frescoes in the cathedral of Tampere, he also decided to map a larger version of the wounded angel. There is with In the Garden of Death, showing the death as a helper and protector of the human soul, another well-known painting by Hugo Simberg processed as fresco.

Due to the popularity of the wounded angel this painting is occasionally quoted in other, more recent art works. So the wounded angel emerges from the years 2007 music video for the song Amaranth by the Finnish group Nightwish.

Documents

• Paintings ( 20th century)