Afgehakt hoofd en brandende kaars 1895

Henri-Charles Guérard created this etching titled 'Severed Head and Burning Candle'. The work's intense chiaroscuro uses stark contrast of light and shadow to dramatically frame the severed head. The candle's flickering light casts long, dark shadows that amplify the grotesque nature of the subject. Guérard's attention to texture, from the rough-hewn surface of the block to the morbid, lifeless skin, emphasizes the physicality and brutality of death. This piece operates within a fin-de-siècle aesthetic, a movement marked by a fascination with decadence and morbidity. Guérard employs the formal elements to evoke a visceral response. The composition, with its stark verticality and compressed space, intensifies the viewer’s focus on the macabre spectacle, prompting a contemplation on the boundaries of life and death. The use of aquatint and etching allows Guérard to manipulate tonal values and create a visually arresting representation of death, challenging conventional notions of beauty and inviting a deeper exploration of the darker aspects of human existence.