Symbolist Landscape With Symbols Of The Earth. Artist: Prosper Colmant. Dated 1912. Cm 161x180

Symbolist Landscape with Symbols of the Earth
Signed lower left:Prosper-Louis Colmant (1867-1943)
Dated 1912
Technique: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: 180 x 161 cm
Signature: Signed lower left "P. Colmant (19)12"


This work depicts a primordial, austere landscape dominated by earth and stones, evoking a world at the origins of civilization. The human figures and natural elements are placed within a setting reminiscent of the monumental, archaizing landscapes of early Renaissance frescoes. The simplicity of the composition and the textured surface give the painting a timeless and sacred quality.
The artist's technique, with its matte and rough surface, deliberately enhances this archaizing effect, recalling ancient mural painting. Colmant appears to seek a dialogue with millennia-old traditions, blending nature and spirituality, confronting the viewer with a scene rich in universal symbols.

Prosper-Louis Colmant was a member of the Belgian artistic group Pour l’Art, founded in 1892 in Brussels. This collective stood out for its idealistic and spiritual approach, contrasting with the naturalism of the time. The group's artists were influenced by symbolist and esoteric ideas, sharing the belief that art could serve as a means to explore profound and transcendent meanings.
At the time, Brussels was a dynamic hub of European symbolism, maintaining close ties with French esoteric movements such as the Ordre de la Rose+Croix led by Joséphin Péladan. Symbolist art from these circles was steeped in spiritual aesthetics and an interest in universal myths, themes that resonate in Colmant's work.

A Note on Esotericism:
In this landscape, which evokes the origins of humanity and civilization, every element is imbued with symbolic significance:

The female figures represent Mother Earth, a source of life and fertility, harmonizing with the barren environment to embody the idea of a primordial balance between nature and humanity.

The seated male figure, accompanied by symbolic objects such as bread and vases, symbolizes the guardian of ancestral wisdom, connecting human labor with the earth's gifts.

The natural elements, in their simplicity, reflect the essence of primitive life and the cyclical nature of existence, a central theme in symbolist poetics.

The archaizing aesthetic, with matte surfaces and a deliberately minimalist composition, enhances the sense of suspended time, as if the painting captured a fragment of a distant, mythological past.
Provenance and Historical Context:
This painting was created in 1912, the year Prosper-Louis Colmant participated in the 10th International Art Exhibition in Venice, exhibiting in the Belgian Pavilion. His membership in the Pour l’Art group highlights his dedication to an artistic vision combining idealism, mysticism, and the exploration of profound meanings.

Colmant also created significant decorative works, including the allegories adorning the Town Hall of Laeken, a suburb of Brussels. These pieces explore similar themes related to labor, community, and humanity's connection with nature, demonstrating the artist's ability to transform symbolic ideas into powerful visual narratives.

The painting is in excellent condition, with vibrant colors and a matte, textured surface that preserves the archaizing effect, making its symbolic and spiritual message fully legible.