The Four Strings of a Violin (1914) by Edward Okun

Painted in 1914, The Four Strings of a Violin is one of the most enigmatic and symbolically rich works by the Polish Symbolist painter Edward Okuń. Created on the eve of the First World War, the painting reflects the era’s deep psychological unease, combining music, femininity, and mortality into a haunting allegory.

The composition depicts four female figures, arranged solemnly around a central violin or funerary motif. These women are commonly interpreted as personifications of the four strings of a violin, transformed into human form. Rather than illustrating music literally, Okuń presents sound as an emotional and spiritual force, embodied through silent, ritual-like figures. The absence of movement and the restrained gestures give the scene a timeless, ceremonial quality.

Symbolism plays a central role in the painting. The violin, traditionally associated with passion and melancholy, becomes a metaphor for the human soul, while the four strings suggest a range of emotional states—grief, longing, memory, and transcendence. The women’s pale faces, elongated forms, and introspective gazes evoke both mourning figures and mythological muses, blurring the boundary between life and death.

The somber color palette and subdued lighting contribute to the painting’s funereal atmosphere. Rather than depicting explicit sorrow, Okuń conveys a quiet, internalized grief. This restraint aligns with Symbolist ideals, where meaning is suggested rather than explained, inviting the viewer into a contemplative experience rather than a narrative one.

Stylistically, The Four Strings of a Violin reflects Okuń’s engagement with Symbolism and Art Nouveau, evident in the decorative linearity, idealized female forms, and emphasis on mood over realism. The painting also resonates with broader European anxieties of the time, as the impending collapse of the old world loomed just before the outbreak of war.

In essence, The Four Strings of a Violin is not merely a meditation on music, but a poetic reflection on human fragility and spiritual resonance. Through silence, stillness, and symbolism, Edward Okuń transforms a musical instrument into a profound metaphor for the emotional tensions of an entire era.