Seated Pink Nude | MSK Gent
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Seated Pink Nude, ca. 1928

  • oil paint, paper, panel
  • 60 x 51 cm
  • Inv. 1950-S

Public Domain

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A theme that regularly recurs in Van den Berghe's late work is the human figure in archetypal dialogue with a tree or a cave. The artist chooses subjects in which man in affective and material bondage to nature and life knows his place. The mythical veneration of the tree takes very clear shape in Sitting Pink Nude. The origin of the subject reaches back to prehistoric times. For primitive man, the tree is the abode of spirits or gods. By extension, in archaic times the tree is not only venerated for its own sake, but also because it represents the activity of a 'totally different' force, a holy power that man both venerates and fears. This power manifests itself particularly in the image of the cosmic tree as the source of constant regeneration. Sculptures of animals and humans worshipping the tree date back to before the second millennium BC. The tree is also a frequent motif in dreams, with an unprecedented variety of meanings. It can stand for evolution, physical growth or spiritual maturation, for sacrifice or death. Van den Berghe brings many variations on this old motif, here the artist does so by formally identifying man and tree or at least creating the illusion of it.

Artist

Frits Van den Berghe RKD VIAF Wikidata
Ghent 1883 - Ghent 1939
painters (artists)AAT

Title Seated Pink Nude
Date ca. 1928
Period 20th century
Collection paintings AAT
Object type oil paintings (visual works) AAT
Inventory number 1950-S
Acquisition credit purchase
Galerie Georges Giroux
Brussels
1950
Current whereabouts Work currently not on display
Permalink https://mskgent.be/collection/work/data/1950-S
IIIF Manifest https://imagehub.mskgent.be/iiif/3/2160/manifest.json
Art & Architecture Thesaurus 300056485 fantastic art AAT
Keywords Iconclass 25G3 trees Iconclass
31A235 sitting figure Iconclass
31A71 male sex; man Iconclass
31B3 dream Iconclass
31D14 adult man Iconclass
School / Style Surrealist AAT
D'Ensor à Magritte dans les collections du Musée de Gand (exposition Lodève, Musée de Lodève-Hôtel du Cardinal de Fleury, 19 novembre 2004 - 27 février 2005) / Maïthé Vallès-Bled, Robert Hoozee, Johan De Smet, Helke Lauwaert, Bruno Fornari. - Lodève : Musée de Lodève, 2004 ; Milano : Mazzotta, 2004 (p. 272-274, cat. 75)
Museum voor Schone Kunsten Gent : Catalogus schilderkunst ; Deel I: 14de - 18de eeuw ; Deel II: 19de - 20ste eeuw / Robert Hoozee, Johan De Smet, Bruno Fornari, Ruth Monteyne. - Gent : Museum voor Schone Kunsten Gent, 2007 (dl. II, p. 66-67 (ill.))
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