Wotan and Brunhilde 1915

Koloman Moser made this painting "Wotan and Brunhilde," with what looks like oil on canvas. The story seems to be built up from rough, expressive marks in a luminous colour palette of pink, yellow, and blue. You can almost feel the energy of Moser wrestling with the canvas, pushing and pulling the paint to bring forth this scene. I imagine him pacing back and forth in his studio, considering how to capture this dramatic narrative with his brushes. He starts with loose strokes, letting the colors blend and collide, like a dance between chaos and order. The texture is so thick in places, it almost feels like you could reach out and touch it. See how the red spear slices across the canvas, full of drama and intensity? Moser was part of the Vienna Secession, and you can see the influence of artists like Klimt in his bold use of color and decorative patterns. He was also inspired by the work of Symbolist painters like Fernand Khnopff, who explored themes of mythology and fantasy in their art. Painters borrow, steal, and are inspired, and it’s all part of this big conversation across time. This piece is really interesting precisely because it embraces ambiguity, allowing for multiple readings and interpretations.