Skeletons in an office 1944

Paul Delvaux painted Skeletons in an office with oil on canvas. The muted palette creates a surreal, dreamlike atmosphere, so delicate. The bones, rendered with fine, precise lines, remind me of the process of slowly building up a painting. Delvaux’s painting isn’t just about the subject matter, but how it’s made. Look at the skeleton leaning against the table. Delvaux uses subtle gradations of tone to create a sense of depth and volume, while the stark white of the bones contrasts with the softer colours of the room. I see how the texture of the canvas is visible beneath the thin layers of paint, adding to the ghostly quality. The skeleton is both present and absent, solid and ethereal. Delvaux’s work reminds me of de Chirico’s, though with a softer touch, a bit more…human? These paintings share a fascination with the uncanny and the absurd. Anyway, what does it all mean? I don’t know, and I’m happy to keep it that way.