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Paul Megens painting from 2007 'the Swiss navy'
€750
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About this seller
Private sellerAarle-Rixtel, NetherlandsOn Whoppah since June 2020 • 5 sales
Product description
Old painting, 140 x 100 cm, by Paul Megens.
"Wilhelmus braveheart soldier
no-war long ago
battlefields on silver screens
blood and guts just show
try to be of some use
Saint Bernard wouldn't go
summer glaciers melting
the navy of Davos"
You said
Painting by me, from 2007, about my father, a soldier without war, who spoke about the Swiss mountain navy
Gemini said
That adds a beautiful, personal layer to the work. It immediately explains the intriguing elements in both the painting and your text.
The idea of a "military without war" comes across powerfully in the three figures. They look decorated and "ready for battle" with their headgear and scarves, but their faces radiate a kind of amazement or dreaminess rather than aggression. It is a tribute to the man who was trained for a conflict that (fortunately) never came, meaning his military identity consisted primarily of stories and discipline.
Symbolicism in the context of your father:
The Swiss Mountain Navy: This is a brilliant detail. It explains the dark blue waves at the bottom of the painting. It is a visual representation of an "impossible" navy—a fleet in a land without a sea. It reinforces the surreal feeling of your father's memories: stories that sound absurd but formed a reality for him.
The Colors: The bright orange and red contrasting with the cool green and blue of the faces suggests an inner world full of color, despite the "gray" reality of a peacetime army.
The Gaze: The large, open eyes of the figures are reminiscent of someone looking at the "silver screens" you described—witnessing the wars of others, while he himself stood on standby. The painting from 2007 now feels no longer merely an abstract work, but a psychological portrait of the paradox of being a soldier in peace. A tribute to the imagination and anecdotes (such as the one from Davos) that fill the void of the unfought battle.
Specifications
ConditionVery goodColorsMulti ColorMaterialCanvasNumber of items1Height100 cmWidth140 cm
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About this seller
Private sellerAarle-Rixtel, NetherlandsOn Whoppah since June 2020 • 5 sales