Franz von Stuck
Franz von Stuck is famous for dark, symbolic paintings. He loved scenes with personifications of the sin, wild Salomes, all that femme fatale thing. But this painting is a bit different!
The skies take up two-thirds of this picture. There are six dancing men and women. The casual mood and the flowing shapes (in complementary colors, dominated by blue, green, and red tones) may refer to Friedrich Nietzsche’s principles of the Dionysian and the Apollonian, with which Franz von Stuck and many other artists so concerned themselves around the turn of the 20th century. Apollo stands for sculpture, architecture, reflection, and order (among other things), while Dionysus stands for music, intoxication, and sexual transgression. Their rivalling opposition is at the heart of all artistic creativity, Nietzsche believed. In this connection, The Dance can be read as an enquiry into excess and control, as well as into questions of art theory.
Of course it can also be just a normal dancing scene showing the joy of life. But as we know, von Stuck wasn't very into happiness ;)