Funeral Symphony (IV) 1903

Mikalojus Konstantinas Ciurlionis created "Funeral Symphony (IV)" using mixed media on paper. The painting presents a somber landscape dominated by vertical cypress trees that punctuate the horizon like musical notes on a staff. The cool blues and greens evoke a sense of melancholy. Ciurlionis merges visual art with musical structure, as implied by the title. We can see elements echoing musical composition, with the trees forming a rhythmic sequence similar to musical bars. The artist invites us to decode the emotional and spiritual undertones of the scene through this visual language. The use of color, like the transition from a fiery sunset to the cool depths of the landscape, suggests themes of transformation and passage. Ultimately, Ciurlionis’s emphasis on the formal arrangement of elements challenges the viewer to look beyond the representational, exploring the symbolic potential of form and color. In doing so, it transforms our understanding of how art can resonate with both personal and universal experiences.