Malpertuus (1920)

Frits van den Berghe's painting "Malpertuus" from 1920 offers a unique and intriguing peek into a mystical, almost fairy-tale like universe where ordinary scenes are wrapped in a cloak of the extraordinary. The painting depicts an enclosed, dimly lit room, possibly a tavern or a local meeting spot, with two prominent figures at its heart. The room is crammed with an assortment of objects that create an atmosphere of clutter and mystery.On the left, a woman, perhaps the tavern keeper, is portrayed pouring a drink from a bottle with intense concentration and care. Her head is wrapped in a scarf, and her posture and attire evoke a sense of humble diligence. Seated across from her, a man, possibly a patron, watches the pouring with an expression that blends weariness with a quiet satisfaction. His cap and the hint of a smile add to his likable, everyman character.The setting of the painting is tightly packed with dark, overlapping forms and shadowed spaces, giving it a cave-like appearance and enhancing its enigmatic quality. Odd-shaped windows, various everyday items like bottles and pots, and an ominously spelled out "INFERNO" above the woman add layers of allegory and enigma.Through "Malpertuus," Frits van den Berghe captures a moment brimming with narrative potential, rendered through a composition that manages to be both claustrophobic and endlessly fascinating. This work invites viewers to explore beyond the visible, suggesting stories and lives intertwined with the mystical and the mundane.