I enjoy surrealism in art, the combination of meticulously detailed realistic subject matter with unreal, highly imaginative or dreamlike situations satisfies both sides of my taste.
Paul Delvaux was one of the 20th century's Belgian surrealists. His work was somewhat overshadowed by that of René Magritte, though it is reported that Delvaux did not consider himself of the same ilk, and was not in tune with any political aims espoused by the the Belgian surrealists. He saw his own style as following the carefully detailed realism of earlier Flemish artists such as Jan Van Eyck.
Delvaux was said to be a quiet and rather reclusive person. The subject matter of most of his paintings tends to be repetitive. Nude or almost nude statuesque females in suspended animation, classical architecture, and, oddly, skeletons and trains. There's an underlying ironic eroticism there, with some allusion to the double standards of Victorian sexual morality.
Looking through his paintings at Google Image I noticed that the Moon appears in many of them (a few examples follow). That, along with his obsession with the female nude figure had me wondering whether there'd be an emphasis on Cancer in his natal chart.
LES ASTRONOMES
LES PHASES DE LA LUNE III
MOONPHASES
THE GREAT SIRENS
THE SLEEPING VENUS
SOLITUDE
Paul Delvaux was born on 23 September 1897 in Antheit, near Huy, Belgium at, according to Astrodatabank, 10:00PM
Initially I worked with a 12 noon chart, didn't check Astrotheme or Astrodatabank until quite late in the proceedings, then was happy to find that Delvaux had Cancer rising! Cancer connects to all things feminine, and to its ruler...the Moon. The Moon itself lay in Leo as Delvaux was born, and - wouldn't ya know it.....conjunct Venus, planet of the arts! I love it when a plan comes together!
Paul Delvaux was one of the 20th century's Belgian surrealists. His work was somewhat overshadowed by that of René Magritte, though it is reported that Delvaux did not consider himself of the same ilk, and was not in tune with any political aims espoused by the the Belgian surrealists. He saw his own style as following the carefully detailed realism of earlier Flemish artists such as Jan Van Eyck.
Delvaux was said to be a quiet and rather reclusive person. The subject matter of most of his paintings tends to be repetitive. Nude or almost nude statuesque females in suspended animation, classical architecture, and, oddly, skeletons and trains. There's an underlying ironic eroticism there, with some allusion to the double standards of Victorian sexual morality.
Looking through his paintings at Google Image I noticed that the Moon appears in many of them (a few examples follow). That, along with his obsession with the female nude figure had me wondering whether there'd be an emphasis on Cancer in his natal chart.
LES ASTRONOMES
LES PHASES DE LA LUNE III
MOONPHASES
THE GREAT SIRENS
THE SLEEPING VENUS
SOLITUDE
Paul Delvaux was born on 23 September 1897 in Antheit, near Huy, Belgium at, according to Astrodatabank, 10:00PM
Initially I worked with a 12 noon chart, didn't check Astrotheme or Astrodatabank until quite late in the proceedings, then was happy to find that Delvaux had Cancer rising! Cancer connects to all things feminine, and to its ruler...the Moon. The Moon itself lay in Leo as Delvaux was born, and - wouldn't ya know it.....conjunct Venus, planet of the arts! I love it when a plan comes together!
Delvaux's Sun at 00 degree Libra is conjoined with Mercury and Jupiter in the late degrees of Virgo. Libra is ruled by Venus, planet of the arts, Mercury and Jupiter in Virgo link nicely to this artist's meticulous, realistic depiction of both architecture and the human female body.
As for his gravitation to the surreal and/or erotic: Saturn and Uranus (the traditional and the unexpected)are conjoined in Scorpio (sign of eroticism).
No more need be said!
LA CIUDAD DORMIDA (The Sleeping City)
LA RUE DU TRAMWAY
THE AWAKENING OF THE FOREST
THE CONVERSATION
LE VIADUC
HOMMAGE à JULES VERNE
