Marcel Delmotte
Oil on panel
70 x 50 cm

‘Arcadië’ reflects several key Western art styles that flourished throughout the first half of the 20th century: surrealism, cubism, and futurism. Delicately blended with Neoclassicist nostalgia, the artwork explores Delmotte’s fantasy world, a recurring theme in his works. Named after a region in Ancient Greece, Arcadia was believed to be a realm of the god of the forest, Pan. Leading from this, the theme ‘arcadia’ (also known as utopia) has been a continuous theme in Western art ever since, traditionally exploring rural life in close harmony with nature. Delmotte’s Arcadië, however, is different from conventional Arcadian paintings. Instead of a green pastoral landscape, the artist depicts its modern interpretation - Arcadia depicted in an urban, industrial setting. The two figures extend the mythological and religious theme of the painting, referring to the heavenly characters, such as Adam and Eve or Dante and Vegilius. In this piece, Delmotte explores the relationship between man and nature in the age of industrialization.