Fishing for Stars (1920)

Frits van den Berghe’s 1920 painting “Fishing for Stars” offers a compelling journey into a dreamscape where reality and fantasy mingle under a cloak of darkness. This artwork deftly combines elements of surrealism and expressionism, two movements that deeply influenced van den Berghe’s style.In this evocative piece, we observe a scene shrouded in the shadowy hues of night, where the boundaries of the landscape blur and distort. A central feature of this painting is a mysterious, swirling body of water that occupies the foreground, suggesting a deep, possibly infinite chasm. Above this, the sky is alive with soft glimmers of starlight, which appear to be descending gently towards the water, blurring the line between the heavens and the earth.Adding to the painting's otherworldly feel are elements such as a vibrant green plant and a red figure situated subtly near the bottom right corner, further enhancing the abstract and enigmatic quality of the scene. The presence of a classical structure atop the curving landforms brings a touch of order to the chaos, serving as a lone recognizable landmark in this fantastical realm.“Fishing for Stars” captivates viewers, inviting them to contemplate the interplay of light and darkness, the seen and unseen, and the reach of human desires towards the unfathomable and ephemeral beauty of the stars.