The Banks of Lethe 1900 - 1907

Benedict Herzog’s Banks of Lethe presents us with a scene rendered in charcoal, a medium lending itself to subtle gradations of light and shadow. The composition, though seemingly chaotic at first glance, is structured by the arrangement of figures, their draped forms creating a rhythm across the picture plane. The thematic reference to the river Lethe, a symbol of oblivion, intersects interestingly with Herzog’s formal choices. The soft, blurred lines and muted tones seem to invoke a sense of haziness, of memories fading. The figures, mostly women, appear caught in moments of introspection or grief. The artist manipulates tonal values to obscure and reveal, drawing our attention to the act of forgetting as a visual experience. The use of charcoal allows Herzog to create a textured surface, adding depth to the figures’ drapery and the surrounding landscape. This interplay between texture and form reinforces the artwork’s theme, inviting us to contemplate the impermanence of memory and the complex interplay between light, shadow, and form.