Another fine work by Karl Friedrich Lessing (1808 – 1880), a German historical and landscape painter. The title of this piece is “Die Waldkapelle” (“A Chapel in the Woods”). It would be interesting to find out whether this little church still exists.
On the surface, this is a typical Romanticist landscape. Note, however, the deep symbolism present in the painting. The church sits on a rocky and cavernous terrain, indicating dark and mysterious subterranean forces. The surrounding woods symbolize growth and enlightenment from above. The plains that the church overlooks are overshadowed by ominous clouds, and yet the skies above are bright and clear. Candles are lit inside the chapel. People are walking up from the valley, along the path that leads inside the church. They are ascending towards God and salvation.
By the way, “The Last Crusader” by the same artist features an old Knight Templar, returning from the Holy Land.
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