Dreams and Fantasies no.1 1922

Nils Dardel created this dreamlike scene, *Dreams and Fantasies no.1*, in 1922. It's as if the composition came to him in a flash of inspiration. I can imagine Dardel, a kindred spirit, lost in thought, conjuring up this strange scene! What’s going on here? Three women, impossibly thin, teeter on a ledge, in long evening gowns. In the foreground, a monkey and a dog add to the intrigue. It makes me think about the magic of colors, how the blues, greens, and pinks bring this fantasy to life. It feels related to the earlier Symbolist painters, yet it also anticipates surrealism; the monkey, the tiny figure at the end of the corridor, the strange perspective! Like Dardel, artists are constantly conversing with each other across time, inspiring creativity. His playful take on painting invites ambiguity, allowing for multiple stories.