Dawn of the Town 1940

Paul Delvaux made "Dawn of the Town," which is large, around 175 x 215 cm. I can only imagine Delvaux hovering over this canvas, brushing on thin layers of pigment, trying to figure out what makes a place, what makes a body, and what happens when they meet. There are some strange things going on, wouldn't you agree? The architectural forms are so still compared to the softness of the figures, whose flesh is so much more present than the buildings. I wonder, was Delvaux thinking about classical sculpture? It makes me think of de Chirico, but even more dreamlike, more surreal. The deep blues and grays are pretty effective in setting a tone. You can feel the stillness, a certain quiet unease. It gives me the chills a little. Painters are always in conversation with each other, borrowing and building upon ideas. The language of painting continues to evolve, it’s an endless exploration.