Nodes Rose 1937

Paul Delvaux painted Nodes Rose in the twentieth century, and it feels like it came into being gradually, shifting and emerging through trial, error, and intuition. I sympathize with Delvaux, and I wonder what it might have been like to create a place where strange figures are assembled in some kind of classical plaza. Did he want to give us a dream, or a nightmare? The paint is thin, and the surface is smooth, giving the painting an icy feel. The figures are so still, and the bows are such a weird form of decoration. It makes me think about the conversations Delvaux was having with other artists in his time—the Surrealists especially. Artists are always in conversation, inspiring each other, trading ideas, and arguing over what painting can and should be. Painting is a conversation that continues across time. It embraces ambiguity and uncertainty, allowing for multiple interpretations and meaning over fixed or definitive readings.