The Hidden Meaning Behind Lucifer Paintings

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Lucifer is a devil that artists have showcased in various ways. The painting of Lucifer is famous because of the message it conveys. It represents the devil, and many such paintings depict the satanic character. 

The art of an artist is how he paints a mysterious picture. It inspires viewers to come up with their interpretations. In the case of Lucifer, theories go back to the incident when he was thrown out of heaven by God. In this regard, let us look at the Lucifer paintings’ hidden meaning in two of the most famous paintings.

Lucifer by Franz von Stuck

Artists have widely explored Angels and demons art. One of the earliest paintings of the devil was titled the ‘Lucifer’ created by Franz von Stuck. The artist is a part of the symbolist movement where the painters showcase mythology, dreamy images, and mysticism. 

Despite being creepy, the Lucifer painting has a lot to say. Stuck explored the dual nature of humans and painted contrasting themes. Some examples of these include life and death, pain, and pleasure.

Stuck painted Lucifer, showing him as an angel of light who was thrown out of Heaven by God. The critics of that time refer to his art as depicting a man-demon. This might be because instead of painting a monstrous creature, he paints a man with black wings and well-lit eyes. The distinguishing feature of this painting is the fact that Lucifer appears to be an ordinary human. It is one of the most realistic demon drawing as it shows a powerful demon. He is like any other man but with wings and luminous eyes. 

Stuck’s painting delivers a message beyond the man-demon that has been painted. It indicates that humans do not necessarily need an external force that will cause evil. Instead, it is present in them. This is suggestive through the luminous eyes of the man-demon. On the other hand, this may also refer to the humane qualities present in evil. As said earlier, Stuck explored the two opposing ends of every theme.

The painting has been a part of several international exhibitions. It was, however, disliked by the ministries probably because of the hidden message it delivered.

Fallen Angel by Alexandre Cabanel 

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He was falling from a dreamy place and landing on a rough rocky surface, such as the story of Lucifer. Alexandre Cabanel represents this by exploring several themes. His painting ranged from historical to religious. The painting of Lucifer is a classical representation of a man mainly referred to as a fallen angel. He is a man of excellent muscular symmetry.

The Fallen Angel was one of the first devil artwork. The lucifer renaissance art shocked the jurists. Although historical paintings pointed at the religious subject matter, they often explored characters of angels and devils. And evil paintings have been an essential part of history. Yet, The Fallen Angel was Cabanel’s first academic painting that touched on the topic of a devil. It is believed to have inspired the poem Paradise Lost by John Milton. The poem talked about how the Devil defied God.

The Fallen Angel is an iconic devil painting that represents a nude devil painting. It shows a Satan that is tensed and leans toward a rock. He looks elevated, and there are mountains in the background. It appears that he has landed on mountainous terrain. Several winged angels are flying over him. The demon artwork shows blue, which camouflages with the tones of the sky. The painting focuses entirely on the nude devil, whose sitting posture speaks volumes. You can also see his fingers intertwine each other. He looks tense. His one wing is noticeable while his golden-brown hair flies with the wind. 

His face is hidden with only his dramatic eyes visible, and tears are about to fall from his eyes. His eyes are, however, defiant. There is anger in his look, and it appears he is ready to strike.

While talking about the colors of the painting, the heavenly background appears to be lighter compared to the dark Satan. Cabanel does not use any harsh or bold colors in this work. Instead, he uses soft tones to showcase harmony and unity.

Since Cabanel had his works in line with the Renaissance, his work The Fallen Angel has been described as that of a Romanticist. Cabanel’s style of artwork coincides with naturalism. He paints the Devil as a young muscular boy. The paintings of Lucifer are often seen to reflect that powerful image of a ‘bad boy’ that people would drool over.

Conclusion

While art may explore themes of affluence, misery, and social ritual, it has a significant role in showcasing angels and demons paintings. Creepy as it may sound, such paintings represent a profound hidden message. And the interpretation of such dark art varies from person to person. 

Talking about Lucifer’s paintings and their hidden message, it is vital to see the message it conveys. All the Lucifer paintings convey the idea of Satan defying God. While the Lucifer, painted by Franz von Stuck, shows a man-demon, The Fallen Angel by Alexandre Cabanel shows a nude version of a muscular devil. Stuck has produced an elaborate piece of art showcasing the idea that evil qualities are present in a human. Some also interpret that it shows the presence of humanistic characteristics in every evil. That is the unique essence of art. However, it can be perceived differently.

In contrast, the work by Cabanel shows a nude devil that is not as scary as the one represented by Stuck. However, it has teary eyes that are ready to avenge. Both are, however, strong characters possessing bold personalities. The topic of the devil is dark, and it takes excellent quality to paint such a theme that is often characterized in several ways.