Le Roi des aulnes
1830
Moritz von Schwind brings the eerie German legend of the Erlking to life in this dramatic 1830 scene. A terrified rider on horseback gallops through a moonlit forest, desperately fleeing a ghostly, white-robed figure reaching out with a commanding gesture. To the right, ethereal female spirits emerge from the gnarled trees, their alluring forms contrasting sharply with the dark, frantic energy of the fleeing horse. This Romantic masterpiece captures the supernatural terror of Goethe's famous poem, where the Erlking tries to lure a child away from his father's arms.