When people fear something they tend to push it aside, out of sight and out of mind. Death is one of the most commonly and greatly feared things, so naturally people try to avoid it. But, how can you think things through and come to accept them when you are avoiding it. Death is something that is greatly feared and mostly avoided; so often people never come to accept that dying is just a part of life. By using color and juxtaposition in “Homunculus” Fred Einaudi creates the feeling that death is simply a part of life, not something to be dreaded. Strong earthly colors represent life and growth. All the colors in “Homunculus” are vivid and bright but can be found in nature. Even the body of the fetus is in bright strong colors. Although the body of the fetus, the girl, and the background are all different colors they all go together harmoniously. The harmony between the different hues of color represents harmony between different stages of life. The fetus’ color works as a part of the whole color of the painting, just as death is a part of a whole life. The colors in this painting working together even thought they are different represent death simply being an aspect of life that also fits in.
Little girls are often used as symbols for innocence and sweetness, whereas dead fetuses and abortion is something that is often thought to be horrible and unethical. The contrast created by juxtaposition between the two creates a shock when you first look at the painting, making the viewer then look more deeply into the painting and what it represents. The fetus is not what the normal would look like, but looks more to be the shape of a formed man, opposed to an unformed baby. The fetus is used as a shocking form of death to get the viewers’ attention, but Fred Einaudi created the fetus as a formed man to say that though it is death it’s not cruel because the deceased still got an opportunity to live and grow. Comparison between the little girl and the formed fetus using juxtaposition creates the feeling that the fetus is not to be feared, and that the sweet girl accepts it.
People spend their whole life running from death. Women worry about wrinkles, men worry about balding, all because they are signs of getting closer to death. “Homunculus” focuses on the fact that death is not something to be feared and it is merely another part of life. The harmony of the colors emphasizes that although it is a different stage life, but it is still essential. In using juxtaposition Fred Einaudi puts the fetus next to the sweet girl, creating visual shock while giving the feeling that the girl accepts death. “Homunculus” by Fred Einaudi creates shock to get the viewer to look into the painting’s acceptance of death.
