The artwork named “Race of Hero Spirits Pass,” created by Walter Crane in 1909, belongs to the Neo-Romanticism art movement and is classified as a symbolic painting.
The artwork depicts a scene laden with symbolist elements, featuring five nude figures ascending a hill, each holding a torch. These figures are poised mid-stride, moving in unison, suggesting a sense of purpose or a shared goal. Their red caps and the illumination from their torches create a striking contrast against the darker, somber backdrop. The flames from the torches leave glowing trails in the air, adding to the dynamic movement conveyed within the scene. The individuals appear almost ethereal, embodying a spiritual or heroic journey, which aligns with the symbolic genre and the themes often explored in Neo-Romanticism. The dark hues and fluid motion within the painting evoke a mystical and contemplative atmosphere, drawing the viewer into the transcendent passage of these heroic spirits.
