Six-winged Seraphim, Mikhail Vrubel 
- Posted by Mikhail Vrubel
- Museum: Russian Museum
- Year: 1904
Overview of the painting :
Six-winged Seraphim – Mikhail Vrubel. 1904. Oil on canvas. 131×155
During the creation of this piercing and surprisingly perfect work, the artist was already hopelessly ill. The picture is inspired not only by the famous poem of Pushkin, but also by heavy, complex and frankly insane dreams. Many art historians believe that it was this work of the master that became the pinnacle of his multifaceted work.
The messenger of God, the performer of his will, is looking directly at the audience. The sword is raised, a burning lamp symbolizes God’s presence. Seraphim’s look is firm, impartial and empty. He is only a performer of the High Will. His will is absent as such, he serves the Creator.
A complex technique, color and the effect of inner light – all together creates the feeling that we are facing a stained glass window illuminated from the outside.
The work is full of symbolic details. The content of the picture gives the author’s intellect, excellent knowledge of the topic, education. But most importantly, the artist, suffering from severe mental illness, retained impeccable logic, a clean and bright mind in his works.
For a long time, the author addressed the topic of the pagan world, fairy tales, traditional beliefs, as well as the images of fallen angels. At the end of his life, the artist came to the image of Seraphim, which looks like a truly creative person who fulfilled his mission.