The Fight on the Bridge 1882 - 1885

Arnold Böcklin's "The Fight on the Bridge" (1882-1885) depicts a dramatic scene of two figures on horseback locked in a duel atop a bridge. The dark, foreboding atmosphere is heightened by the looming presence of a cliff face, a crumbling structure, and a shadowy figure on the right. Böcklin's signature use of symbolism and atmospheric perspective creates a dreamlike and unsettling quality, evoking themes of death, fate, and the fragility of life.