George Clausen
Today is European Depression Day and although the painting we present today is not directly connected to mental health, for me it perfectly depicts depression. According to WHO, depression is a common mental disorder. Globally, more than 264 million people of all ages suffer from depression and it is a leading cause of disability worldwide and is a major contributor to the overall global burden of disease.
In this painting by George Clausen we see a naked young woman, personifying Youth, kneeling in a grief-stricken attitude before a wooden cross marking a grave. In the distance are the flooded craters of a battlefield. The scene is a response to the horrors of the First World War and, in particular, the death of Clausen’s own daughter’s fiancé. He uses the nakedness of the figure and the starkness of the barren landscape to emphasize the grief and emptiness of death.
Please take care, everyone!
- Zuzanna & DailyArt Team
P.S. It won't replace medications when they are required, but it might help to improve the mood—here are 5 positive effects of art on our mental health! <3 And here's an alternative look at the mental health of Vincent van Gogh.