Last artwork, between unfinished and finished

By Do Gwang-hwan

What does “unfinished” mean to an artist? We often think of cases where a work remains incomplete due to reasons like death, but more commonly, artists intentionally leave their works “unfinished.”

Franz Schubert's “Unfinished Symphony” (1822) is more famous due to its name, but in reality, many of his works are said to be “completed in an unfinished state.”

Let's take a look at the last works of artists that are speculated to be “unfinished.” Michelangelo's “Rondanini Pieta” (1564), known as his final piece, is rugged and rough, far from the perfection and divine completeness seen in his earlier works such as “Pieta” (1499) in St. Peter's Basilica and “David” (1504) in Florence.

▲ Rondanini Pieta by Michelangelo

Considering the masterpieces that surpassed perfection and achieved divine completeness, such as the “Pieta” (1499) in St. Peter's Cathedral and “David” (1504) in Florence, it is hard to believe that this is Michelangelo's work. To those seeing the work for the first time, one could even say it resembles a “modern abstract sculpture.” What was Michelangelo's intention in creating a seemingly unfinished work?

Could it have been due to a sudden reflection like “Can I reach completion?” “Do I really need to complete it?” “Do I have the ability to complete it?” -- a reflection of resignation, transcendence, or doubt.

Russian-born French painter Nicolas de Stael (1914-1955) is said to have painted “Concert” (1955) until a few hours before his death. The black piano and yellow double bass placed on a red background, with green books in between, may indicate that his “performance” in life and art will continue.

▲Concert by Nicolas de Stael

At first glance, it brings to mind a passage from the “Tao Te Ching”: “Great skill seems awkward.”

For whatever reason, Michelangelo and Stael must have felt infinitely lonely while creating their final works. It probably wasn't just because death was imminent.

Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640), the Baroque painter known for his rich gestures, voluptuous women and vibrant colors, created a surprisingly different last work.

His last work, which represents none of his characteristic features and is dominated by a serene atmosphere resembling ink wash painting, was painted before the flame of life extinguished.

▲Landscape with a Dam by Peter Paul Rubens

One might think that what he saw before his death was “nature itself.” Although he painted numerous pastoral landscapes in his later years, here, he depicted nature without people, without rainbows, without even the shimmering sunlight.

To the painter considered the happiest in Western art history, “completion” seems to have been revealing the “unpretentious self” through the “unpretentious nature.”

In common expression, it's “contemplation.” It's a “penetrating gaze into beauty and wisdom.”

Fyodor Dostoevsky's (1821-1881) “The Brothers Karamazov” (1880), widely read as one of the greatest novels worldwide, is also an unfinished work. Although it is said that he did not complete it due to his death, later readers do not consider it unfinished. They view it as a novel that delves into the abyss of inspiration and the soul.

For great artists, there is no clear distinction between “completion” and “incompletion.” Whether they achieved what they wanted is not the point; it’s all about whether their spirit is captured in the work or not.

Art historian Lee Yeon-sik once said, "The pinnacle vibrates on the edge. It constantly trembles."

The difference between completion and incompletion lies in the subtle movement of the artist's soul.