This painting pays homage to The Isle of the Dead by Arnold Böcklin (1880), one of the most evocative Symbolist masterpieces, reinterpreting the theme of passage with a personal and universal vision. Dominated by an ethereal light emerging from darkness, the painting conveys a sense of mystery and contemplation, balancing the fear of the unknown with the hope of new illumination.

The luminous circle at the center, enclosing a suspended sphere, symbolizes the soul’s journey—a bridge between the earthly and the metaphysical realms. The solitary figure below, on a small boat, recalls the mythical ferryman, a silent guide accompanying the soul across the waters of transition. The composition, rich with deep blues and delicate yellows, evokes the duality between darkness and light, death and rebirth.

Upon closer inspection, a swan can be seen in the sky—a symbol of purity and transformation. The swan soars high, as if indicating a transition toward a more serene and luminous dimension. Additionally, at the center of the painting, the shape of a crying eye becomes apparent, its tears crafted with translucent resins. These tears symbolize not only the pain of a traumatic event now concluded but also profound and cathartic joy. It is the weeping of liberation, of the end of suffering, making way for renewal.

Despite the theme of passage, the painting is strikingly positive. The light expanding from the depths of darkness and the tears of joy signal a hope rooted in transformation and the possibility of finding peace. It invites the viewer to see beyond trauma, to uncover the beauty that can emerge even from the most challenging moments, and to celebrate the journey of existence as a continuous interplay of endings and rebirths.