The Castle by the Sea 1887

Max Klinger’s 1887 lithograph, *The Castle by the Sea*, is a powerful example of Symbolism in art. The dramatic chiaroscuro and the skeletal remains of the castle evoke feelings of decay and loss. The sea, an often symbolic representation of eternity, stretches out endlessly in the distance, adding to the mood of desolation and melancholic beauty. The work, now housed at The Art Institute of Chicago, was one of the most popular pieces from Klinger’s *The Legend of the Castle by the Sea*, a suite of works that explored themes of love, loss, and human mortality.