Marcel Gillis (Belgium, 20th century) Adam and Eve, 1931 Diptych

Marcel Gillis (Belgium, 20th Century) Adam and Eve, 1931. Diptych, oil on panel. Signed and dated "Marcel Gillis 1931" at the bottom right and left. Original painted frames integrated. Dimensions: 67 × 27 × 5 cm (each panel) This remarkable diptych depicts Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, treated in a vertical composition reminiscent of ancient Flemish altarpieces. Adam, on the left, stands in a restrained posture, his gaze directed towards Eve, while she, on the right, holds the apple, the serpent coiled around her arm, embodying temptation. Swans and dense vegetation create a silent and timeless atmosphere, characteristic of Belgian symbolist painting from the interwar period. The painted ogival niches and integrated frames enhance the architectural dimension of the whole, giving the work a strong visual presence. This piece is part of the tradition of late Belgian symbolism, in the continuity of Fernand Khnopff and Jean Delville, while incorporating a modernised aesthetic evident in the elegant stylisation of the figures and the purity of the volumes. The smooth modelling, precision of the drawing, and balance of the composition reflect a successful synthesis between the heritage of the Flemish Primitives and 20th-century sensibility. This diptych is a particularly accomplished example of Belgian symbolist painting from the 1930s. Very good overall condition, with patina and minor wear consistent with the age of the work.