The Forest in Myth, Anthropology, and Contemporary Art
This article explores the symbolic and mythological roles of forests throughout art history, referencing Pliny the Elder's observations on sacred groves. It emphasizes the use of twilight illumination in the art of Giorgio de Chirico and Caspar David Friedrich, especially in the latter's 'Abbey in the Oakwood' (1810). The oak tree is linked to the Baltic deity Perkūnas and associated funerary customs, as discussed in Ernesto De Martino's 'Death and Ritual Mourning' (1958). Symbolist works, such as Arnold Böcklin's 'Isle of the Dead' (1880), depict forests as eerie spaces. Additionally, it addresses folklore figures like Baba Yaga and chthonic gods, referencing Eugenio Battisti's 'The Civilization of Witches' (1964). The piece also acknowledges artists like Paul Gauguin, Maurice Denis, Franco Pinna, Maria Grazia Carriero, Ana Mendieta, Remedios Varo, and Leonora Carrington, concluding that these creators revive collective memory through their artistry.
Key facts
- The article examines the forest as a symbolic topos in art from mythology to contemporary practice.
- Caspar David Friedrich's 'Abbey in the Oakwood' (1810) depicts a Gothic ruin in a perturbing forest.
- The oak tree is linked to the Baltic god Perkūnas and funerary traditions in Northern and Eastern Europe.
- Ernesto De Martino's 'Death and Ritual Mourning' (1958) documents the ritual transport of a fir tree for a Romanian shepherd's funeral.
- Arnold Böcklin's 'Isle of the Dead' (1880) exemplifies the forest as a lugubrious, deathly space.
- Eugenio Battisti's 'The Civilization of Witches' (1964) characterizes anti-Renaissance traits and the irrational.
- Paul Gauguin's 'The Loss of Virginity' (1891) features a Breton landscape with a nude woman and a fox.
- Maurice Denis's 'The Muses in the Sacred Grove' (1893) evokes spiritual and symbolic themes.
- Franco Pinna's documentary photography captures post-war Italian rituals mixing pagan and Catholic elements.
- Maria Grazia Carriero's photographs document shamanic practices in Puglia and Basilicata, including 'Darkness' (2014).
- Ana Mendieta's performances imprint her silhouette on trees and earth, reflecting on the primary role of women.
- Remedios Varo and Leonora Carrington were key figures in female surrealism, with Varo's paintings featuring anthropomorphic forest figures.
- André Breton emphasized the magical, Freudian, and irrational content in Varo and Carrington's work.
- The article is written by Fabio Petrelli for Artribune.
Entities
Artists
- Giorgio de Chirico
- Caspar David Friedrich
- Arnold Böcklin
- Paul Gauguin
- Émile Bernard
- Maurice Denis
- Franco Pinna
- Maria Grazia Carriero
- Ana Mendieta
- Remedios Varo
- Leonora Carrington
- André Breton
- Fabio Petrelli
Institutions
- Artribune
Locations
- Acquaviva delle Fonti
- Italy
- Rome
- Puglia
- Basilicata
- Sardinia
- Northern Europe
- Eastern Europe
- Romania
- Mexico
- Brittany