Hugo Simberg (1873 – 1917)
1896
Watercolor and gouache
16 cm × 17 cm (6.3 in × 6.7 in)
Ateneum, Helsinki
Gardening in a nutshell: “My soul may be a blackened, withered and dry husk, but my plant babies are thriving!”
In the artist’s notes he wrote that this represents “the place where the dead end up before going to Heaven.”
I’ve also killed a lot of plants in my time…I wonder if this is where they go!
I feel your pain. I’ve tried but I just don’t have a green thumb. The only thing that I can grow consistently is basil.
Me nurturing my will to live
The artist said it represents “the place where the dead end up before going to Heaven” but I think I like your interpretation better.
Vaguely, just like Basil and Sunny from the psych-horror RPG OMORI, even if it takes a lot of time.
Looks like a peaceful and happy place
The juxtaposition of death and life is really striking. For me especially the figure facing the viewer, how it’s tenderly clutching the flowers to it’s chest. The artist wrote that this painting represents, “the place where the dead end up before going to Heaven.” There’s a lot going on, on a lot of levels
I bet Terry Pratchett knew and loved this painting.
I’ve never read any of the discworld novels. I’ve never heard anything but praise for them but there are just so many that I usually just get paralysis of choice and look for something else.
Terry said you can start anywhere, and I’ve been enjoying reading them in order, but if you want to get to know the Death character, “Mort” and then “The Reaper Man” would do. The witches and wizards books are also great, and he’s in every book at least a bit (he is Death after all).
I might be parasocially in love with Death. He’s just such a dear, kind, awkward but in a stoic way, person. And he loves cats 😻
The new recordings that are coming out on Audible are FANTASTIC if you like audio books at all. There are two versions, the newer ones with Peter Serafinowicz and Bill Nighy are the good ones.
I second the Penguin audiobooks! Peter Serafinowicz’s impression of death is just amazing. I finished the 6th Rincewind book and every time he popped up throughout the series, he got me so excited!
