Young man with death 1908

Gosta Adrian-Nilsson painted this "Young Man with Death" with what looks like watercolour or gouache, and it's all about how he builds up these translucent layers to create a dreamy and kind of unsettling scene. The materiality here is key; you can almost feel the paper grain coming through the washes of colour. The wings are these huge, dark, almost overwhelming shapes, but if you look closely, they’re made of delicate, overlapping strokes. This contrast between the weighty subject matter and the lightness of the paint is so interesting! It’s like the weight of death is always there, but it's also fragile and ephemeral. Look at how the trees on either side create a claustrophobic feel, while the stars above suggest a kind of escape or transcendence. Adrian-Nilsson reminds me of Marsden Hartley, another artist who wasn’t afraid to tackle big, existential themes with a personal touch. This piece is like a quiet poem, filled with ambiguities and open to endless interpretations.