Artem. Salvator mundi. How a Painting Saved a Life
Art can inspire us, challenge us, and at times, even save us. Few stories capture that truth more powerfully than the one told by actor Bill Murray.
Early in his career, Murray was struggling deeply and even considering taking his own life. Wandering through Chicago one day, he stepped inside the Art Institute and found himself standing before Jules Breton’s The Song of the Lark.
Image: Jules Breton, The Song of the Lark, 1884.
The painting depicts a young farm girl, pausing at dawn as she listens to a bird’s song before beginning another day’s labor. For Murray, that simple yet profound image was a lifeline. He later shared that the sight of the girl and the rising sun gave him hope, reminding him that tomorrow always brings another chance.
It was a moment of connection — between artist and viewer, across centuries — that renewed his will to live.
Stories like this remind me that art is not just decoration. It is a living force that meets us where we are and speaks to our humanity in ways nothing else can. I believe in the same transformative power. I think of this when I’m creating; hoping that what I’m doing will carry a voice of resilience, creativity, and hope — somewhere, somehow, to someone.
That’s my ‘why’.
Has a piece of art ever found you exactly when you needed it? -
This article was originally published on my Sharp Art Studio Substack newsletter. Subscribe there for more stories and insights delivered to your inbox.
