Observations placeholder
Knut Ekwall - The Fisherman and the Siren
Identifier
002662
Type of Spiritual Experience
Background
The Fisherman and the Siren by Knut Ekwall (1843-1912)
Knut Ekwall was a Swedish artist who excelled at etchings, book illustrations and fine art paintings. His sister Emma was also an artist, specializing in portraits.
Ekwall “has portrayed his siren in the modern conception, as a beautiful seductress”.
This seductress is leading him down a portal – a whirlpool, so we have here a sort of implied allusion to the idea that sex takes you down spiritually – very Victorian – very 1800s – very puritanical!
The date it was painted should tell us everything.
It is worth comparing this view with that of the artist Carlos Schwabe who painted later and who went up with a water spout using sex!