Le Sacrifice d'Iphigénie by Paul Delvaux (Interpretation and Analysis)

Le Sacrifice d'Iphigénie
Source: Christies

Yesterday, I discussed Félix Vallotton’s—a Modernist artist—approach to the legend of Perseus and Andromeda. While Vallotton’s version of this subject is well known, he was far from the only Modernist artist to tackle mythological subjects. Belgian Surrealist Paul Delvaux was clearly fascinated by mythological and classical scenes, which figure heavily in his work.

Delvaux is well known for his paintings of nude women who wander through bizarre landscapes of classical architecture mixed with elements of twentieth century industrial culture. Delvaux was particularly obsessed with trains, which he regarded as quasi-magical devices and held special symbolic meaning to him. Trains appear in almost all of his paintings, speeding away into the night.

Le Sacrifice d'Iphigénie is representative of these themes within his work. The piece references the story of Iphigenia from Greek mythology. According to legend, the Greek army killed one of Artemis’ sacred deer on their way to the battlefield at Troy. Enraged, the goddess demanded that the king Agamemnon sacrifice his daughter Iphigenia in retribution. Agamemnon lures his daughter to the city of Aulis under the pretext of marriage to Achilles, and she is sacrificed when she arrives with her mother Clytemnestra. The story is one of the greatest tragedies in the Greek canon and resounds ominously throughout the Greek literary tradition.

While Iphigenia’s death is a popular subject in Western art, Delvaux’s approach to the topic is characteristically off-kilter. Le Sacrifice d'Iphigénie breaks the story into several disjointed scenes, all being enacted simultaneously in a strange, open building on the edge of a river. On the other side of the water, a modern city is silhouetted against the night sky, a train chugging along by the riverside. Two versions of Iphigenia stand in the foreground, presumably representing her arrival in Aulis and her preparation for marriage to Achilles. In the background, Iphigenia lays on the floor with her chest bared, waiting to die as Agamemnon stands above her.

When stripped of the classical trappings that normally accompany Greek mythology in art, the true psychological power of the story is transmitted with deep profundity. The three Iphigenia are dressed in modern clothes, and this visual disconnect serves to other the subject of the painting, making it even more strange and alien. Despite this, however, the painting packs an emotional punch, conveying the pain and tragedy of the ancient sacrifice in vivid, modern detail.

Disclaimer: I’m not an art historian or an expert on this topic. The above is my opinion, based on my interpretation of my foreknowledge of art and history. If I’ve done any additional research, I’ll note it above.