You must not kill
It is one of the most representative creations of Diefenbach’s painting. The subject, treated several times by the artist, intends to warn man in error, reminding him of God’s commandment “Do not kill”, in defense of animals and vegetarianism. In particular, the opera is inspired by the last stanzas of Friedrich Schiller’s ballad “Der Alpenjäger” (The Alpine Hunter): “With an empty and suffering look, [the deer] begged the heartless hunter, calling in vain since he already drew the bow to shoot the arrow. Suddenly the Mountain Spirit comes out of a cave! These with his divine hands protects the tormented animal. – ‘Must you send death and pain to me? Is there room for everyone on this earth, why do you persecute my creatures?” Is this the scene depicted in the painting. The composition is centered on three figures that follow each other diagonally: From above, the Spirit of the mountain is represented as an old man, bearded, with long hair and the artist’s face; in the center appears the dying deer; at the bottom there is the hunter who has wounded the animal, portrayed naked with a knife in his right hand. “The killer is terrified by the appearance… he is about to drop the dagger, pouring his whole body back”. “The picture is impressive […] the meaning quite clear when it has been read the title…” and above all “becomes impressive for the expressive power of the three figures.” Thanks to this painting, in which you can see the close resemblance between the artist and the divine spirit, Diefenbach tries to impose his individual commandments and especially those of vegetarianism on the whole humanity. He then compares the sinner, in the figure of the hunter, with the purified vegetarian, self-portrait of the same painter, An obvious sign that the artist felt he had the duty to transmit his ideals of “life according to nature” to humanity. © MINISTERO DELLA CULTURA

CONTINUE: Grotta della Minerva