The Dream of the Shepherd (Der Traum des Hirten) 1896

Ferdinand Hodler's "The Dream of the Shepherd" (1896) is a symbolist painting depicting a shepherd kneeling in a field, his head in his hands, with a group of nude women dancing in the sky above. The painting is known for its use of elongated figures and a flattened perspective, characteristic of Hodler's later work. The work is open to interpretation, but many critics see it as a meditation on the nature of dreams and the relationship between the material and spiritual worlds. The image's symbolism likely reflects Hodler's personal experience with death and loss, as he was deeply affected by the death of his wife in 1891. The shepherd's forlorn pose suggests despair and the women's ethereal dance represents a spiritual realm unattainable by the shepherd.