Marcel Delmotte
The oldest artist in the Lakeside Collection, Marcel Delmotte was born in Charleroi, Belgium in 1901. He was a painter, draftsman, watercolorist, and sculptor. A realist painter at first, he was inspired by Expressionism. Later he was strongly influenced by the canonical Old Masters such as Caravaggio, Poussin, and many other Renaissance and Mannerist artists. Hence, his works depict themes such as Greek mythology and divine comedy. Finally, he developed his own symbolic style with references to futurism and surrealism. One of his signature techniques was grattage - scratching fresh paint with a sharp blade, which gave definition to his surrealist compositions. His detailed and subtle technique captured subject matter from mesmerizing landscapes to disturbing images of decay. Steering away from any particular interpretations of his works, Delmotte acknowledged his viewer’s understanding of the paintings, even if opposed to the inherent meaning. He had a formidable list of exhibitions across the world, from Tokyo to Turin, and New York before he passed away in 1984.
