Suffering is the state of undergoing pain, distress, or hardship. In this gallery, you see different types of suffering throughout history displayed in an array of viewpoints. These different displays of suffering can very well be different states of suffering that the artist felt during a specific time. Some show physical suffering while others are self-suffering or financial. While two might be physical suffering, they are shown to fit the world around them. The gallery begins with historical religious figures and moves through history as styles of art move to the Western world. I also compare and contrast painting with the same themes to show this change through history. They each relate to the period of time surrounding the life of the artist.
Samson slaying a Philistine or Cain and Abel, John Cheere, 1756 -, From the collection of: National Palace of Queluz
This sculpture depicts suffering shown through religious figures. It is seen as either Samson slaying a Philistine or Cain and Abel. The suffering is shown in the posture of the Philistine or Abel and what is about to happen to them.
Woman Bitten by a Snake, Auguste Clésinger, 1847, From the collection of: Musée d’Orsay, Paris
In this sculpture the woman has been bitten by a snake. Her posture depicts her as helpless, not being able to do anything to help herself.
Lynch Family, Joseph Hirsch, 1946, From the collection of: The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
The Lynch Family depicts a mother and child during times or racial hardships. Since the end of the Civil War, a campaign of terror had been used to subdue the rights and aspirations of African-Americans, including Jim Crow Laws. This shows the difficulties of the time.
Long - suffering, Julia Margaret Cameron, 1865, From the collection of: The J. Paul Getty Museum
In this picture we see again a mother with children, however this time the suffering is not the same as in Lynch Family. In this picture their suffering looks to be more from financial struggles. The children are in raggy, over-sized clothing.
Travoys Arriving with Wounded at a Dressing-Station at Smol, Macedonia, September 1916, Spencer, Stanley (Sir) (RA), 1919, From the collection of: Imperial War Museums
The suffering in this painting is a physical suffering. Wounded soldiers during World War I are being taken to a dressing station for treatment. The soldiers are hidden under blankets but some look to be in distress, almost in the fetal position.
Human Laundry, Belsen: April 1945, Zinkeisen, Doris Clare, April 1st 1945, From the collection of: Imperial War Museums
Much like the last painting, this shows the physical sufferings of soldiers during World War II. The soldiers are practically skeletons, looking malnurished.
Saint Sebastian, Guido Reni, c 1625, From the collection of: Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki
You can clearly see the suffering in St. Sabastian's face. Human suffering and passionate belief are shown in the eye's of this man. The dark colors in the background with bright colors on the figure itself show that pain with hope.
This abstract self-portrait shows the inner pain and suffering of Frida Kahlo. The broken column depicts the the inner turmoil that Frida is going through.
Titik Nyeri (Point Of Pain), F X Harsono, 2007, From the collection of: National Heritage Board, Singapore
In this painting, the needles, which aren't a grave harm, are shown to be poking him in the face multiple times. The constant pking shown is associated by Harsono to the contemporary violence in Indonesia such as subtle discrimination which eventually will get to people like all other types of violence.
Credits: All media
This user gallery has been created by an independent third party and may not represent the views of the institutions whose collections include the featured works or of Google Arts & Culture.
