Analytical Essay
Cassie Eggert
Professor Toohey
ENG 170-31
Analytical Essay
2 September 2023
“Rejuvenation”
In the painting “Rejuvenation,” created by an unknown artist, there are many different possibilities in terms of interpretation. However, there are certain common aspects throughout the painting which all point to a similar theme. “Rejuvenation” represents the ideas of rebirth and reincarnation. These themes are exemplified and made more prominent when one more closely examines and thinks deeper about the symbolic meanings behind specific elements of the art piece.
Night and darkness both commonly symbolize death. At first glance of the painting, there seems to be a dark void, with a smaller landscape being seen through some sort of window. Both landscapes depict a nighttime scene. Thus, it can be inferred that there is a theme of death or grief. More specifically, this theme revolves around the death and past lives of the dragonflies, also depicted in the piece. However, a full moon, although seen in the gloom and dark of the night, brings light into the dark sky. Symbolically, in this instance, the light brought about by the moon represents the light of a new beginning, or, in other words, rebirth. The dragonflies seem to be drawn towards the full moon; the light from the moon is guiding the dragonflies back to the mortal plane and drawing them out of the darkness. In this way, the moon acts as a sort of anti-ferryman. Rather than guide the souls to the afterlife, it is guiding them back to the land of the living.
Dragonflies are sometimes used as a symbol for transformation. Within the context of “Rejuvenation,” the dragonflies symbolize the transformation and change associated with reincarnation and new beginnings. The dragonflies are the ones being brought back into the world of the living, thus indicating their own transformation into a new life. They are flying from the dark void of death into the bright night of the mortal plane. This transitional journey indicates the rebirth of the dragonflies.
Another significant element within the piece is the tree seen within the smaller landscape in the painting. In general, trees are representative of change and transformation. They shed their leaves each autumn and winter – and, come spring, they are, in a way, revived, with new leaves covering the branches. In the painting “Rejuvenation,” the tree is at the point in its cycle in which it is leafless. But, the cycle will continue, and, soon, the tree in the painting will regrow its leaves. Similarly, the dragonflies are experiencing the cycle of life, death, and reincarnation. Furthermore, the tree of life is a common symbol for the cycle of life and death. It can also symbolize a connection between the living world and the afterlife. While the tree depicted in the painting doesn’t necessarily look exactly like the traditional design for the tree of life, it still can be representative of the same concepts. Thus, the tree provides a connection between the cycle of life in death and the rebirth of the dragonflies.
The idea of rebirth is seen throughout the painting “Rejuvenation,” from an unknown artist. There are so many of these elements crucial to the meaning of the piece, that they may become a little jumbled, and ideas may become intertwined or combined. This communicates human curiosity and confusion of the afterlife; there are many conflicting opinions and ideas about what the afterlife entails, as well as the concept of death in general. Everybody interprets it in their own way. Similarly, everybody may have their own, different, and unique interpretation of the art and its meaning.