Hans Thoma – Die Quelle (The Spring) Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA)

Here we observe a composition structured around a central spring, depicted as both a literal source of water and a symbolic representation of renewal. The scene unfolds within a densely wooded landscape, with towering trees framing the action on either side. A clear delineation separates the foreground from the background; the latter features a distant vista of rolling hills under a pale blue sky.
The lower left quadrant is dominated by a male figure, rendered nude and engaged in drinking from the spring’s outflow. His posture suggests reverence and absorption, his face partially obscured by the cascading water. The physicality of this figure – the musculature, the dampness clinging to his skin – is meticulously detailed, lending him an almost sculptural quality.
Above him, seated upon a rocky outcrop, is a female figure draped in flowing robes of reddish-orange hue. She holds and plays a stringed instrument, likely a lute or similar archaic form. A laurel wreath adorns her head, hinting at associations with poetry, music, and victory. Her gaze appears directed outward, beyond the immediate scene, suggesting a contemplative state.
Two winged figures – putti – occupy the upper portion of the canvas. One descends from above, seemingly observing the unfolding events below, while the other sits on the rock beside the seated woman, playing a flute or panpipe. Their presence introduces an element of playful divinity and reinforces the allegorical nature of the scene.
The color palette is restrained but evocative. Earth tones – browns, greens, ochres – predominate, creating a sense of naturalism and grounding. The reddish-orange of the woman’s robes provides a focal point, drawing the eye upward and adding warmth to the composition. Light plays an important role; it illuminates the male figure drinking from the spring and highlights the contours of the seated womans face and body.
Subtly, the painting explores themes of creation, inspiration, and the cyclical nature of life. The spring itself embodies origin and sustenance, while the female figure’s music suggests the power of art to evoke emotion and connect with deeper truths. The putti introduce a sense of timelessness and divine presence, suggesting that these events are part of an eternal cycle. The nude male figures act of drinking can be interpreted as a symbolic return to nature or a quest for primal knowledge. Overall, the work conveys a mood of quiet contemplation and reverence for the natural world and its creative forces.