THE EVIL MOTHERS /1894/ by GIOVANNI SEGANTINI
This painting depicts some nude female figures hanging from the branches of a bare tree. The face of a baby is emerging from one of the female figures; the painting’s title, "evil mothers": is a term used to refer to women who reject or resist being a mother, which is their perceived destiny in nature.
It was inspired by the poem "Nirvana" by Luigi Illica, which explores the Buddhist concept of Nirvana and the punishment of women who refuse to fulfill their maternal role. This grim and wintry landscape with snow and ice has thus been used as a metaphor for the emotional and physical state of the "evil mothers" trapped in spiritual and emotional "freezing."
Segantini employs the pointillist technique, implying colors are applied isolated in the form of dots or small defined strokes, which blend optically when viewed from a distance. This technique enhances the luminosity and vibrancy of the painting, making an impression of depth and atmosphere.
This artwork epitomizes this conflict of man versus nature. The figure's integration into the natural landscape, suggest a primal connection between humans and their environment.This theme resonates with an anxiety felt more generally within the late 19th century concerning the damage industrialization and urbanization were posing to the natural world.
