Adrian Aubry

ADRIAN AUBRY (Belgium,1834- ¿).
"Revenge", 1875.
Oil on panel.
Signed in the lower left corner and dated.
Measurements: 82,5 x 61 cm; 96,5 x 75 cm (frame).
In this work of the Belgian artist Adrian Aubry can be observed a great influence of French symbolism and dramatic imagery of Gustave Doré. This statement is perceived both in the atmosphere and in the scenographic characterization, while the heritage of French symbolism is manifested in the allegorical and emotional charge of the visual story.
In this night scene, two elegantly dressed women stand next to the lifeless body of a man, illuminated by a lantern that one of them holds. The carefully orchestrated composition presents a somber, enclosed, gothic urban setting with sharp architecture that heightens the emotional drama of the scene. The focal lighting, centered on the characters, creates a strong chiaroscuro that not only directs the viewer's gaze, but also acts as a symbolic vehicle: the light from the lantern reveals the fall of the man and the apparent triumph, or judgment, of the women, while the surroundings remain in gloom, charged with mystery.
Aubry's detailed and narrative style is in the late romantic tradition, but with an evident symbolic charge. This work, beyond its anecdote, can be read as an allegory of moral punishment and female agency, in a visual context that oscillates between the theatrical and the dreamlike.