Scenes from the Innsbruck cyclorama


The dark shadows the figures cast and the light coming from the west show that the time of day was 5 p.m.

The representation of light is an important element in painting cycloramas. The way the light falls evokes a certain mood and shows the time of day. At the Battle of Bergisel, it was five in the afternoon, and the conflict was drawing to a close. To paraphrase Lessing, the important thing is the "decisive moment", a single point in time that explains what has already happened and simultaneously foreshadows what is going to happen next. Here it is obvious who will emerge as the victor.