The artwork, titled “Polar Bear (Eisbär)” by Alfred Kubin, was created in 1902 and belongs to the Symbolism art movement. It is a piece of symbolic painting which invokes deeper meanings and interpretations through metaphorical imagery.
In the artwork, a vast, desolate landscape is depicted in somber tones of black, white, and shades of grey. Dominating the scene is a large, somewhat surreal form resembling a polar bear, stretched across the undulating terrain. The bear appears to be lying motionlessly atop a ridge, blending almost seamlessly with the snow-covered ground. Below, a small, isolated cabin with smoke curling from its chimney sits near the shore of a dark, tranquil body of water. The sky above is filled with dense, foreboding clouds, adding to the eerie and contemplative atmosphere of the scene. The juxtaposition of the massive creature with the tiny human habitation underscores themes of isolation, the sublime force of nature, and the insignificance of humanity in the face of such grandeur.
