Looking for a piece to discuss this week, I always found myself flipping back to this painting. I can't help but to look at it and then look at it again. It grabs my attention and I have no choice but to stare, even though I don't really want to. This piece pretty much haunts me. The look of agony of this women is conveyed so well, I feel her surprise and pain. The way Death is taking her is terrifying. His grip in her hair, and how tight he is holding her side makes me feel on edge. Could you imagine those boney hands on your body? It freaks me out thinking about it. The artist really did a great job in getting me to feel as if I was the one being chosen by Death. I think the contrast between the plumpness of the woman and the boney-ness of Death really does a lot to show how unpleasant of an encounter this is. I like that there is not a lot of negative space, there is no need for anything else in this painting. The story is right there between the two figures. I don't need to know all about the surroundings, I see everything I need in the woman's expression. To me, this really shows the surprise of Death, you never know when he will sneak up behind you. Besides the emotion of this painting, I also like the limited colors used. They work really well to me. The paleness of her skin and fabric against Death's sickly yellow really draws me in. I only hope she somehow found peace after this awful encounter with Death.
