Caliopé 1940

Wols created "Caliopé" using watercolor and ink on paper, amid the tumultuous landscape of post-World War II Europe. His personal experiences as a refugee fleeing Nazi Germany deeply influenced his artistic vision. The artwork defies traditional representation with surreal, dreamlike imagery. The figure of Caliopé, the muse of epic poetry, seems to question conventional gender roles. The figure embraces a musical instrument, yet it is unclear if she is playing it. A faceless figure walks along the scene, perhaps a self-portrait of Wols. The imagery evokes a sense of displacement and uncertainty, reflecting the artist's own feelings of being uprooted. Wols once said, "One must have chaos in oneself to give birth to a dancing star." This quote encapsulates the raw emotion and personal turmoil conveyed in "Caliopé". The work invites us to contemplate the complex relationship between identity, history, and the creative process.