Pygmalion
1939 Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, Rotterdam
About this artwork
The painting depicts a nude woman embracing a statue in a desolate landscape, alongside other enigmatic figures and structures. This work exemplifies Delvaux's characteristic fusion of classical themes with a haunting, dreamlike atmosphere.
Did you know?
Paul Delvaux's "Pygmalion" draws on the ancient Greek myth where Pygmalion, a sculptor, falls in love with his ivory statue, which Aphrodite then brings to life. Delvaux, however, often reversed this narrative, depicting his women as living statues or merging with architectural elements, creating a world where the lines between reality and artifice are perpetually blurred. This particular work, with its enigmatic figures and desolate setting, perfectly encapsulates his unique blend of classical grandeur and melancholic surrealism.
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Pygmalion
Paul Delvaux, 1939
