Sulamith Wülfing (January 11, 1901 -- 1989) was a German artist and illustrator. Her ethereal, enigmatic works depict fairy tales or mystical subjects.
The mood of Wülfing's work ranges from serene to wistful to deeply melancholy. The subject is often mysterious, with narrative elements at whose meaning the observer can only guess -- exactly as the artist intended. In her own words: "To people attuned to my compositions, they may well be mirrors of their own experiences. It is because of this that I have left the explanation of the drawings completely to the viewer, so that they are not bound by my interpretation of what each picture should be." [Larkin, 1977]
Characteristic Wülfing paintings feature slender, fair-haired, fey young women with large eyes and sad or thoughtful faces, wearing elaborately patterned gowns or robes, and sometimes veils, snoods, wreaths, or jewelled crowns. These maidens are placed in outdoor settings of twilight woods and moonlit meadows, or in castle-like interiors with vaguely Gothic detail (stone arches, stained glass windows, carved thronelike chairs). Some of the patterns on the clothing and furniture resemble Celtic knotwork.
Brambles and thorns, moths and butterflies, feathers, leaves, and delicately rendered flowers add organic richness, texture and complexity to the images. Many of the paintings have a "fairytale" feel, with grinning dwarves and gnomes, knights in armor, dragons, and the like. Some have a holiday focus, usually Christmas or Easter. In the more spiritually-themed images, radiant winged beings appear to give comfort or counsel to troubled humans. Several of the paintings touch upon the theme of pregnancy and motherhood, while others echo the experience of loneliness and separation, and still others are indicative of love and fulfillment.
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