Belgian school; c. 1930.

Belgian school; c. 1930.
"African Scene."
Relief in patinated bronze and onyx.
Measurements: 34 x 70,5 x 12,5 cm.
Relief in which a hunting scene is represented where three characters hold a deer. The work is inscribed within the current of orientalism and the taste for the thematic inspired in Africa so in vogue during the 19th century and the beginning of the 19th century. Although the naturalism and veracity of these small sculptures indicate that this is the second stage, when artists traveled to the Middle East in search of that invented reality and discovered a different and new country, which stood out with its peculiarities above the clichés and prejudices of Europeans. Thus, this new orientalist school leaves behind the beautiful odalisques, the harems and the slave markets to paint nothing but what they see, in all its daily dimension.
Belgium played a significant role in Africa, especially through its domination of the Congo since the end of the 19th century. This presence profoundly influenced Belgian history and art, giving rise to a complex dialogue between the two cultures.
Belgian art absorbed African influences, reflected in the incorporation of exotic motifs, masks and sculptures in the works of modernist and surrealist artists. Figures such as Paul Delvaux or the Flemish expressionists reinterpreted African forms and aesthetics in their creations. At the same time, the arrival of Congolese artifacts and sculptures inspired avant-garde movements, driving new explorations in abstraction and expressivity.