When the Devil Breaks the Fourth Wall

@secessio At the dawn of the 1890s, Franz von Stuck unveiled one of the most unsettling works in the history of art — Lucifer. This chilling portrait of the fallen angel, with his piercing, unblinking gaze, became so infamous that when it entered the collection of Ferdinand I of Bulgaria, it reportedly terrified his entire cabinet. Legend has it that a strange ritual was born: every time someone passed the painting, they instinctively made the sign of the cross. In this video, we uncover the story behind Lucifer (1890), explore the mysterious life of Franz von Stuck, and break down why this image still disturbs viewers more than a century later. Chapters: 0:00 prologue 1:09 Franz von Stuck 5:04 The Fall of "Lucifer" 6:50 Analysis 10:40 Epilogue #arthistory #art #darkart Copyright Disclaimer under section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing."