The artwork “The Satanic. Satan Sowing Tares,” created by Felicien Rops in 1882, is a lithograph that stands as a notable example of the Symbolism art movement. The piece measures 30.4 by 21 centimeters and falls under the genre of religious painting.
In the artwork, a towering and skeletal figure of Satan is depicted in an unsettling manner. The character, wearing a tattered cloak and a wide-brimmed hat, strides across a vast and nightmarish urban landscape, spreading small, screaming figures from his hand. The background features a moonlit sky, with streaks of swirling clouds, enhancing the ominous and malevolent atmosphere of the scene. The elongated limbs and malevolent expression on Satan’s face contribute to a sense of dread. The city below seems to be cloaked in darkness and despair, reinforcing the symbolic interpretation of evil spreading over humanity.
