Bathsheba 1912

Franz von Stuck made this painting of Bathsheba, we don't know exactly when, but probably using oils. It's not so much about realism, but about making a mood. Look at the water, how it shimmers with these streaks of red. It's not exactly water, right? More like some kind of inferno. That's how Stuck amps up the drama, using color and texture to tell a story that's both biblical and totally dreamlike. And then there's the voyeur, watching her. It's interesting to compare him to someone like Klimt, who also explored similar themes of desire and symbolism, but with a more decorative approach. Stuck, here, seems to me to be more interested in the psychology of the scene, the tension and ambiguity. And isn't that where the real art is, not in the answers, but in the questions?