The small figures struggling against the overwhelming force of nature emphasize human vulnerability
and the pale glow reflects on the surrounding foliage
During World War II it was looted by the Nazis and subsequently by the Soviet Union
Frans Francken II - Mankind’s Eternal Dilemma
and bare branches evoke the profound stillness of a midwinter night
The Road to the Holy Land | Gustave Doré | 1877 Size:16"x20" The small figures struggling againstThe Road to the Holy Land, circa 1877. Illustration by Gustave Dor. A vast crusader army advances in dense formation, their ranks stretching endlessly into the dark horizon, shields, swords and swpears rising in rigid lines. Faces turn upward across the column, many pausing mid march, caught in a moment of awe as "Archangel Michael" descends from the sky above them. The angel, sword raised and banner flowing, dominates the sceneits presence both