Reaching for the Divine: ‘Souls on the Banks of Acheron’

Reaching Within: What traditional art offers the heart

“Souls on the Banks of the Acheron,” in 1898 by Adolf Hirémy-Hirschl. Oil on Canvas, 7 feet by 11 feet. Belvedere Palace, Austria. Pubic Domain

As an artist, I mostly post art-related content on my social media outlets. Lately, I’ve been reading the content posted by the people I follow, and there’s a lot of discord: Everyone is pointing the finger at everyone else. 

Appreciating the value of a good question, I asked myself, “Is there any way we can regain and maintain harmony?” This question led me to consider our relationship to judgment, and I thought of Adolf Hiremy-Hirschl’s painting “Souls on the Banks of the Acheron.”

Hiremy-Hirschl and His ‘Souls on the Banks of Acheron’

Hiremy-Hirschl was a Hungarian artist who was active during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His paintings focused on allegorical subject matter, calling to mind ancient Rome and its mythologies. His paintings fell out of favor with the advent of the avant-garde movement of the late 19th century.