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The Strangest Painting Ever

Inspiraggio

1,522,900 views

This is very likely the strangest painting of them all. A work filled with unsettling symbolism.

What is this bizarre creature doing, playing its flute in the middle of the forest while a herd of goats follows as if hypnotized?

The painting is Faun by Moonlight, created over 100 years ago. And yet, its true meaning is still debated to this day…

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0:00 Introduction
0:42 Analysis
3:43 The Symbolism of the 19th Century
5:18 The Faun and Its Meaning
7:10 The Story of Léon Spilliaert

#arthistory #art

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20 Comments

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@pastek93 7 months ago

Type of painting you find on the walls of houses in horror games

@b-rare 9 months ago

This is one of those paintings that you throw in the fire and it survives the fire

@AvergeJoe-h8y 5 months ago

Building my algorithm brick by brick

@MultiKm1 1 year ago

I feel like it's how joyous things look through the eyes of a person suffering from depression. The faun is dancing, the adorable goats are delighted. But it's still bleak and lonely to the viewer.

@CLIFTmusic 10 months ago

My immediate feeling was that this Faun is the devil hypnotizing and luring kids a stray and off the path. I feel like they've been following him for a long time and there old path is no longer clear. Young goats are called kids, so I feel this is a fitting interpretation.

@TimDieselTV 1 year ago

For me it feels like the Faun is leading the little goats Astray or even tricking them to feed his own twisted ambitions.

@Gigapog 1 year ago

2:53 A correction: the faun isn't playing flutes, he's playing a set of double reeded double pipes called aulos (a confusing name since aulos literally means flute even though what we refer to as an aulos technically isn't a flute) which is heavily associated with Dionysos and his ecstatic, psychedelic cults (and, of course, with fauns and satyrs). The sound of the aulos was literally the sound of ritualistic madness and psychedelic voyages into the darkest, most alien corners of the mind, thus making the aulos a fitting symbol in this painting.

@Fisher_Films 1 year ago

This generates such a strong feeling in me. As someone who loves the night time, including it’s more unsettling allure, this painting feels like you’ve just looked out your window in the middle of the night on your way to get a drink of water and suddenly see this bizarre scene play out. Equally parts fantastic and frightening. You freeze in fear but also don’t want to look away from this bizzar dance. It perfectly captures the feeling of both fear and curiosity of seeing something late at night that you weren’t meant to see. If you had just stayed in bed you’d never have known this was happening.

@jakecavendish3470 1 year ago (edited)

Oddly enough he wasn't depressed or tormented according to people who knew him; he was very happy, sociable and loved practical jokes. In his latter life he was described as being fat and jolly like Father Christmas without the beard

@gokukiha3 1 year ago

he just wants to toot some music out with the lads at night, a harmless fun night out.

@ΠΥΧ 6 months ago

Spilliaert was only 18 when he made this? The dark, monochromatic vibe is so moody. It feels like a fever dream born from his actual insomnia.

@Volks69 1 year ago

It feels like temptation. A prancing creature who looks like you, but is not like you, comes and gives you enlightenment, teaching to to stand. The music from his flute enticing you to follow. And underneath the pale moon light, you feel the draw. You have already learned so much. Maybe you can be like him. Maybe you can see what he sees, and peer beyond the fields you've lived in and gaze into the stars.

@Enkarashaddam 1 year ago

It looks like something you'd see walking out of the woods into a farmers field at dusk... and then realize it's not for you to see and silently back up towards the woods

@beezechurger666 1 year ago (edited)

Just my opinion, it is supposed to convey the eeriness of desire. The magic of a strong impulse. Where you can feel suddenly compelled to do something without even thinking.

@reddykilowatt 1 year ago

“Wouldst thou like to live deliciously?”

@gauche.dilettante 1 year ago

I clearly see Pan playing his flute to his creatures under the moonlight.

@bizzz.R 8 months ago

Growing up my pastor used to label the good kids 'sheep' and the bad ones 'goats'. Now that I'm older, its crazy how people are labeled 'sheep' in a negative connotation. All while 'goats' get praised (greatest of all time). Really dark stuff if you ask me.

@deepsigh13 1 year ago

The self portrait is one of most scary painting on the channel

@blumeshullman8002 1 year ago

The way i interpret it is: the fawn is a sort of demon, and with his melody, he's giving some of his metamorphosis power to the goats so they can do his bidding. They stand upright, walk among humans and lure them into sin, collecting sould for him.