Fall of Rumi

Sean Rush’s The Fall of Rumi (2019) is a monumental oil-on-Belgian-linen painting, enriched with cobalt pigment and encircled by a luminous 24-karat gold halo. In this work, Rush channels the moment when the 13th-century Sufi mystic Rumi discovers the murder of his beloved mentor and soulmate, Shams-e Tabrizi.

Rumi’s figure is rendered with profound emotional depth: warm umber tones convey sorrow and reflection, while cobalt accents suggest spiritual awakening. The expansive gold disc behind him serves both as a sacred icon and a visual metaphor for transcendence, amplifying the painting’s emotional intensity.

Rather than offering a literal historical account, Rush presents an interpretive meditation-one that embodies grief, longing, and eventual transformation.

Merging finely observed anatomy with symbolic abstraction, the painting invites viewers into a contemplative space where personal loss becomes a gateway to spiritual insight.