The Misery | Cristóbal Rojas Poleo | 1886 Hans Larwin saw as both muse and

saw as both muse and menace

with its intense blues

Commissioned by San Francisco millionaire Kate Birdsall Johnson

portraying him not as a regal ruler but as a spectral force lurking in the abyss

The Misery | Cristóbal Rojas Poleo | 1886 Hans Larwin saw as both muse andAbout the artwork: The Misery (1886) by Cristbal Rojas Poleo is a haunting portrayal of human suffering and social neglect. Painted during the artist's stay in Paris, the work captures a moment of intense despair inside a dim, sparsely furnished room. At its center lies a dying womanemaciated, pale, and draped in whitewhile another figure, possibly her husband, slumps hopelessly beside her. The muted palette and chiaroscuro lighting heighten the sense