Artist about this artworkThe cross can represent a religion, an accomplishment, or a surrender. The cross exists for Christians, Egyptians, and Hindus.
When one has a series of tasks to accomplish, one crosses them off one by one to indicate that the task is accomplished.
But the expression "to cross off..." also signifies abandoning the purpose of the endeavor.
"I've crossed off my vacation" clearly means that one has given up on this idea.
For this painting, the challenge was to break the monotony of the representation without losing balance. Then, it's up to the viewer to reflect.
