All art is subjective—the feelings each piece evokes, the story surrounding the actions or items presented, what about it draws your attention, and more are all decided by you. This is what makes art so beautiful and ever-present in human history. However, not all paintings are designed to be so mysterious.
Many are clear in the picture they are trying to present, though the reasoning can change. For example, a portrait will showcase a person or group of people, and a still life portrays a moment in time, such as when a bowl was full of fruit or a room was cluttered with family treasures. Others are more subjective and mysterious, and we will cover some of these below.
We’ll look at a wide range of paintings so we can experience everything from exploring the mysterious allure of Suppost de Sathan to enjoying the vibrant colors in Blue Rider.
Suppost De Sathan by Paul-Elie Ranson
Suppost de Sathan was created by Paul-Elie Ranson and showcases an interestingly ambiguous scene. Many things are easy to make out, such as the sun and mountain in the background and the birds on the left side. There is a person but few other details about them can be identified.
There’s also a banner on the right that showcases a simple two-word message. From here, though, things get a bit less clear. Near the banner is what appears to be a curtain or some kind of flowing clothing. A foot appears to be sticking out from beneath it and this is the only detail we see of this second mystery person.
The person closer to the front of the frame has their back to us, and this, in combination with their pose and clothing, obscures their identity, which is especially puzzling as you consider that the birds appear to be trying to attack them. There are many mysteries in this artwork that are left up to you to solve.
Even the time of day is in question, as the sun’s position could indicate sunrise, sunset, or sometime in the middle of the day. There’s truly no right answer here, so let your imagination run wild!
Impression, Sunrise by Claude Monet
If you enjoy art then you have likely heard of Impression, Sunrise before. While it was initially mocked for looking like an incomplete piece, its popularity has skyrocketed since.
It depicts a French port on a foggy morning. While the boats closer to the front are dark and easily visible, the details of the port in the back are heavily obscured by the fog. The only thing that can push itself through this obscuring mist is the rising sun, as its bright red hue contrasts the colors of the fog and water.
The mystery here is what the port looks like, as some shapes stick out on both sides, but the specifics are obscured. It’s possible that the tall shapes are the masts of ships that are much larger than the ones in the middle and left. They may be tall power lines or the smokestacks of factories, showcasing that industry never rests.
And what of the shapes on the right? The ones in the back left appear to be upright and tall, while the right side showcases some that are small and slanted alongside the tall ones. Is this apart of the port where the wind is swaying the boats, or is it perhaps a small building that has experienced a tragedy? Or could it be something completely different? Ultimately, the story is yours to write.
The Scream by Edvard Munch
Even if you haven’t seen much art, you’ve probably seen The Scream at some point in your life, which was painted by Edvard Munch. This painting has become iconic and incredibly popular and is now Munch’s most famous work, and it’s easy to see why.
The swirls of vibrant color paint a beautiful picture that is then interrupted by a figure on a bridge screaming directly at the viewer. Behind him are two dark and tall figures who are unaffected by whatever has caused this central figure to scream. There is a good reason for this. In 1982, Munch suffered a panic attack. He claimed that “I sensed a scream passing through nature…I painted this picture, painted the clouds like real blood. The colors shrieked.”
Don’t feel discouraged to create your own meaning, though—just because the painting had an emotionally strong inspiration doesn’t mean that your interpretation is wrong or incorrect. Maybe the person in front did suffer a panic attack. They could have just as easily been upset by the noise behind them and are fleeing it, or there could be a beautiful or horrifying scene that we can’t see that caused this reaction.
Perhaps we just missed an event that caused the person to panic. The scene we’ve been presented with is vague; the details are yours to decide.
Blue Rider by Wassily Kadinsky
The final piece we’ll cover today is Blue Rider by Wassily Kadinsky. This scene is just as straightforward as that of The Scream, though some of the details are a bit more obscure.
We are presented with a person in blue riding a white horse through a vibrant green field. There are many trees in the back with yellow and orange leaves and white trunks that are occasionally obscured by large black dots. The sky is blue with white, fluffy clouds floating past.
The big mystery here is: where did the rider come from and where are they going? The posture of the horse indicates that they are likely moving very quickly. Are they running from something?
Some people claim to see a baby in the rider’s arms as well, which only further adds to the mystery at hand. The best part of this artwork is that the audience’s view was deeply important to the artist, which means that not only is your interpretation just as correct as anyone else’s, but also that you’re encouraged to interpret it how you like.
Interpreting Art on Your Own
As we said earlier, art is subjective. What draws your attention, the emotion evoked, and more is different for each person—this is all part of what makes art beautiful, so let yourself tell whatever story you’ve come up with.
As we’ve said many times in this article, there is no wrong answer to make: only untold stories for your mind to create.
