Das Heilige Grab 

Albin Egger-Lienz made this oil painting, titled "Das Heilige Grab," in Austria, but we don't know exactly when. The Holy Grave, or Holy Sepulchre, is a Christian symbol of rebirth, and here the sepulchre is marked by flowers, and what look like eternal flames burning in glass globes. The artist lived through the First World War, and he also painted many scenes of battle. How might he have thought about faith, death, and rebirth? The images and symbols of Christianity have a long history in European painting. By the early 20th century, these had been used to tell stories, to mark important holidays, to teach morals, and to consolidate political power. In Austria, a majority Catholic country, these paintings were still found everywhere. It may be important to know that Lienz was rejected by the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna. Art historians use a variety of resources to understand art better. We might look at letters and diaries written by artists or their critics, or we might research the economic and political history of the time.