The Power of Death 

William Holbrook Beard created this painting, "The Power of Death," using oil on canvas, presenting a scene dominated by dark, earthy tones. The composition features Death, draped in white, standing amidst the fallen bodies of an elephant and a tiger. The skeletal figure's struggle with the tiger, combined with the prone elephant, speaks to the ultimate fate that awaits all living creatures. The artist destabilizes the conventional understanding of power by showing Death as the great leveler, where brute strength and ferocity are rendered useless. Beard's use of tenebrism intensifies the macabre atmosphere, highlighting Death's grim victory. This painting, therefore, serves as a potent reminder of the transient nature of life, challenging viewers to contemplate the underlying structures of mortality and existence.