1896
oil
canvas
From the collection of Brooklyn Museum
Soul in Bondage is a 1896 oil by Elihu Vedder, a Post-Impressionism work, held at Brooklyn Museum.
The painting depicts a nude woman with long brown hair, sitting on the ground with her knees up and arms wrapped around her legs. She has large wings sprouting from her back, and a butterfly perched on her wrist. A rope or cord is wrapped around her wrists and ankles, symbolizing bondage. The woman's expression is somber, and her eyes are cast downward. The background of the painting is dark and swirling, with shades of brown and gray. The overall mood of the painting is one of melancholy and confinement. This painting is a representation of the soul in bondage, a theme that is often explored in art. To learn more about this theme and its representation in art, you can explore the works of Elihu Vedder.
Elihu Vedder (26 February 1836 – 29 January 1923) was an American symbolist painter, book illustrator and poet from New York City.
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