For the last few years, I have been fascinated by the work of German Symbolist artist Sascha Schneider (1870-1927.) Equally adapt at painting, drafting, and sculpture, Schneider fulfilled many of the ideas that encapsulated the “Renaissance man.” Information on him is difficult to come by, as most biographical material is only available in German. From what I found, Schneider’s father died when he was 14. He was then raised by his mother and maternal aunt. His artistic talents were recognized early on and he studied at the prestigious Dresden Academy of Fine Arts. An open homosexual, particularly under the more liberal Weimar Republic, he was a contributor to the world’s first homosexual periodical. Besides his unorthodox personal life, what I find immensely compelling about his pieces are the depictions of an intense inner battle between the gay man and the sacredly inspired artist; this is most prevalent in the religious-themed painting and drawings. The man’s unmistaken appreciation for Christian imagery and Biblical subjects is everywhere, but as with many gay artists, he often gets swept away by the lure of the homoerotic. I see this struggle nowhere more plainly than in his versions of the same subject: “Emotion of Dependency.” The nude male figure is shackled to a demonic ape-like creature that only waits to devour its victim. It is the beast that haunts all gay men. Like most of his contemporaries, and the majority of later followers, Schneider was unable to break the chains that bound him: as much of his life was consumed by a ceaseless wandering and futile attempts to escape. He died too young; a harbinger of things to come.