Dryads 1966

Paul Delvaux painted this unsettling scene of nude women with oil on canvas. It’s a strange mixture of classical and modern motifs that can tell us a lot about the history of art institutions. Delvaux was a Belgian artist who worked through much of the twentieth century. He draws heavily from both classical art and surrealism. Here, the pallid nudes evoke the classical tradition of idealized beauty. But these figures don't quite fit that mold. The image of female nudes could also relate to the male gaze within the history of art. There is something unsettling in their vacant expressions that links them to the surrealist movement. The women inhabit a shallow, dreamlike space, that’s reminiscent of the uncanny scenes painted by Giorgio de Chirico. In considering this painting, it is important to understand how the classical tradition of art was being re-evaluated in the twentieth century. In order to dig further into this painting one could look to sources such as artist's letters, critical reviews or the history of exhibitions. This can illuminate the complex social forces that shaped it.