Ethereal Forms: A Visual History of Ghosts in Art

3 days ago7 min read

A major exhibition at the Kunstmuseum Basel unveils the ghost as one of art's most enduring and versatile subjects. This sweeping survey, covering 250 years, moves beyond simple horror to explore how artists have given shape to our deepest anxieties, cultural beliefs, and unspoken hopes.The show presents a fascinating evolution, tracing the spectral figure from its origins as a religious omen in medieval works to its modern role as a symbol of psychological trauma and unresolved memory. Highlights include the controversial practice of 19th-century spirit photography, where entrepreneurs exploited grief by superimposing ethereal forms onto portraits of the bereaved, offering a tangible, if fabricated, connection to those lost in wars.The exhibition also showcases sculptors who masterfully used materials like marble and glass to capture the paradoxical solidity of a mist-like presence. Ultimately, this collection reveals that the most compelling ghosts in art are not merely frightening; they are profound reflections on loss, memory, and the very essence of what it means to be human.

#art exhibition

#ghosts

#art history

#Kunstmuseum Basel

#spectral imagery

#featured

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