The Monster, ca. 1928

For Frits Van den Berghe, 1928 was a time of passionate, spirited and bold creation. Although he continued to exhibit with his former companions, in his mind he ended the relationship with Latem and with expressionism. With The Monster, he entered the territory of a new reality beyond the real, the surreal. Eccentric creatures make their appearance. They represent man's fear of the mysteriousness of reality. During the same period, he also paints witches and devils, fantastic flower arrangements and 'monstrous' trees in a magical green light, heralding his later surrealist works. Here, the monster is the embodiment of the menacing power of the subconscious. It is represented here as a muscular weightlifter. Its bared upper body flows into its oversized head. The monster is surrounded by puzzled characters floating through the indeterminate space. Their doubting minds are depicted in a lackadaisical composition, a nervous touch and an unusual pallet of pink, purple and green.