In The Beginning Rachel Isadora

The composition presents a scene dominated by two central figures: infant-like beings positioned in the lower portion of the canvas. Their faces are contorted in expressions that suggest distress or intense emotion – mouths open in cries, eyes wide and seemingly fixed on an unseen point. The artist has rendered their bodies with a simplified, almost sculptural quality, emphasizing musculature and conveying a sense of raw physicality.
Behind these figures unfolds a landscape populated by various animals. A giraffe stands prominently, its elongated neck extending upwards towards the sky. Other creatures – what appear to be rhinoceroses, elephants, and lions – are scattered throughout the background, their forms rendered with a muted palette and a degree of abstraction that prevents precise identification. The animal grouping lacks any clear spatial relationship; they seem suspended within the scene rather than inhabiting a defined environment.
The color scheme is characterized by warm earth tones – ochres, browns, and pinks – that permeate both the foreground and background. A pale blue washes across the upper portion of the canvas, suggesting an open sky or perhaps a hazy atmosphere. The overall effect is one of dreamlike ambiguity; the scene feels simultaneously familiar and alien.
Subtleties within the painting suggest themes of creation and primal existence. The infants’ expressions evoke vulnerability and dependence, hinting at a nascent state of being. Their presence alongside these animals implies an early stage in the development of life on Earth – a moment before differentiation or established order. The lack of context for both the human figures and the animals contributes to this sense of primordiality; they exist outside of any recognizable narrative framework.
The artist’s choice to depict beings at such a vulnerable, undeveloped stage suggests an exploration of origins – not just biological but perhaps also spiritual or emotional. The painting seems less concerned with depicting a specific event than with conveying the essence of beginnings: a moment of raw potential and unformed existence.