This idea was enhanced even more by the paganistic influence of Asia and the Far East due to the completion of many railroads at the time. Vrubel sets up his message in his use of line and lack thereof. He doesn't use definite outlines, but, rather, he uses multiple and somewhat violent brush strokes to create lines within the painting. The brush strokes themselves contain lines, and then meet at odd angles and with great abruptness to cause a certain dynamism within the painting. Where the various strokes meet, there are created the outlines of different objects.
Line is used to create space within the picture.
It breaks the canvas into multiple segments and allows us to discern a background and foreground. Line is also used within each segment in that the dynamic quality of the brush strokes creates broken space within each created area of the painting. Though all objects are holding still, the use of line creates motion within this motionless space. The most important use of line is that in relation to the central figure of the work, the demon. Line is used to draw the eye to the demon, and specifically to his face as all line either eventually points to or frames his head.