"Isle of the Dead," 111×155 cm, 1880. Collection of the Kunstmuseum Basel. Arnold Böcklin (1827–1901) is the most representative painter of Symbolism and one of Switzerland's finest artists of the late 19th century. He loved painting from childhood; after studying in Basel, he entered the Düsseldorf Academy of Fine Arts. At age twenty, he traveled through Switzerland and major European cities such as Brussels and Paris, where he was captivated by Corot’s luminous landscape painting. He then settled in Rome, Italy, falling in love with the country and frequently traveling between Germany and Italy. In 1862, he visited Pompeii and was deeply moved by the frescoes, which had a decisive influence on his work. It was in Rome that he painted his Symbolist work "Seaside Villa," whose structural composition foreshadowed "Isle of the Dead."

In 1874, he settled in Florence. His creative inspiration came from Latin-Greek mythology, as seen in works like "Tritons and Néréides" and "Unicorn in the Silent Forest." Under the vibrant, magical, supernatural, and dreamlike imagery of his paintings, art critic Jules Laforgue wrote: "One stands dumbfounded before this consistent dreaminess, this indiscriminate immersion in fantasy, this flawless naturalness within the supernatural." This supernatural magical world became one of the aspects explored by Surrealism, particularly in the art of Giorgio de Chirico, which resulted from such exploration.

"Isle of the Dead" is Böcklin's most famous painting and one of the finest works of Symbolism. There are five similar versions of "Isle of the Dead"; this is one of them. In this illusory, romantic island landscape, a dark, mysterious island is surrounded by an unusual, deathly silence and ineffable atmosphere. Centered on dense, upright cypress groves, with undulating rocky hills on either side, geometric structures resembling tombs appear. Under the interplay of light and shadow, a magical illusion evokes awe. A small boat moves slowly across the sea, carrying a visitor in white robes, creating a surreal vision. Within this unnatural nature, wonderful light, and colors, a remarkable mystical realm emerges.

This magical, dreamlike painting was commissioned by collector Mrs. Marie Berna. Upon receiving it, she included a note from the artist: "You can intimately dream of this obscure, dark world; you seem to feel the gentle breeze coming from the waves of the sea; you will fear being disturbed by sudden screams in this extraordinary silence."