Light + Mirrors and Crowd; interior of a Popular Ballroom in Antwerp 1914

This painting, "Light + Mirrors and Crowd; interior of a Popular Ballroom in Antwerp," by Jules Schmalzigaug presents a whirlwind of colored shapes depicting a crowded ballroom scene. At its heart, the dynamic movement of the crowd dominates. From ancient fertility rites to the whirling dervishes, communal movement has been intrinsically linked to ecstatic states. The way Schmalzigaug renders the figures—blurred and fragmented—it reminds me of Bacchic frenzy as depicted in classical art; a collective loss of control that is at once terrifying and liberating. Mirrors, those symbols of self-reflection and vanity, take on a more complex role here. They multiply and distort the figures, suggesting a fractured identity within the collective. Like Narcissus gazing into his own reflection, the dancers are caught in a loop of self-obsession and external influence. Thus, Schmalzigaug captures the paradox of the crowd: the allure of belonging and the danger of losing oneself within it. The recurring motifs remind us that human experiences exist within a continuum, constantly reverberating through time.