The Philosopher's Stone 1940

Victor Brauner made this painting, The Philosopher’s Stone, with what looks like gouache or tempera – a medium that dries quickly, allowing for flat, opaque colors and precise details. Brauner isn’t messing around with blending or shading. It’s all about laying down these solid blocks of color. Look at that tree. The lines are sharp and clean, no fussing. The roots are almost like veins or nerves, reaching out. Then there's this woman, or goddess, and a strange cat perched above a glowing polygon. The color palette is restrained, mostly earth tones, creating a dreamlike, otherworldly feeling. It makes me think of alchemy or some ancient ritual. You could almost say it’s like Remedios Varo. Ultimately, with this image, Brauner embraces the mystery inherent to art and invites us to ponder the unspoken.