This painting can be seen as a metaphor of abandoning one’s own body and reaching the astral sphere; it is a metamorphosis – since every human being is dual – from the physical body into the astral body, from the human body into the liberated body of a vampire, from the good, bright side into the evil, dark one. Going further, those two persons may represent one physical body with two hidden natures which constantly fight against each other, good against evil and vice versa, darkness against light. The whole act of sucking the blood out is the symbol of endearing energy, the source of nourishment for evil force. What is interesting, if to interpret this painting as a vampire’s act of sucking the blood, the sucking would not be treated as a trial to get a victim for Satan because vampire is so autonomous daemon that sucks blood only for its own aim. Coming back to previously mentioned vision, the evil side is gaining energy and the act of sucking becomes only a symbol. Furthermore, the dark side is locked with the other side within one body; the relation between those two sides becomes interdependent. As without the good, there would not be the evil, just like without the light there would not be the darkness. This is one of many possible interpretations.

The apocalyptic construal of this image immediately comes to mind as violence implies the fight and as it is seen the evil wins, imbibes blood and life, and executes severe punishment for human sins. The evil is triumphant just like in Jacopo Ligozzi’s “Death Exterminating the Human Race” where death gathers tolls or in Lorenzo Costa’s “Triumf œmierci” . The last judgment performed by the Death who has no mercy and of whom everybody is frightened of, just as in Wigglesworth’s The Day of Doom where “no heart so bold, but now grows cold and almost dead with fear (…)” is present. There is endless number of references in literature, in art, in music which could comment on the apocalyptic analysis of this painting. The best example from the world of music is few words from „End of Daze” by Cradle of Filth which perfectly reflect the mood of this paintin

Some topics in this essay:
, Vincent Vren, Grant's Cults, Year’s Eve, Day Doom, Cradle Filth, Lorenzo Costa’s, Human Race”, animal’s blood, act sucking, Jacopo Ligozzi’s, act sucking blood, gaining energy, sucking blood, sexual intercourse, flowing blood, physical body, blood poured, animal’s blood poured, energetic vampire,