Peter Colfs

PETER COLFS (1906-1983).
"Four Muses," 1951.
Gouache on paper. Design for tapestry.
Signed and dated in the lower right corner.
Measurements: 44 x 44 cm; 67.5 x 67.5 cm (frame).

"Four Muses" reaffirms Peter Colfs' position as a determining figure in the transition from figuration to modernity in 20th century Belgium. Conceived as tapestry cardboard, this gouache stands out for its meticulous composition, close to the language of illustration, which presents four deities of classical antiquity in harmony with the flora and fauna of an interior courtyard. The density of elements in the scene finds its ideal counterpoint in a palette of pastel shades, achieving a visual balance of great lyrical refinement.

Peter Colfs was an outstanding Belgian painter and academic, trained at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in his native city, where he later became a professor. Awarded prestigious prizes such as the Godecharle Prize and the Belgian Prix de Rome in the 1930s, Colfs consolidated a multifaceted career that ranged from portraiture and still life to urban landscapes and allegorical compositions of neo-expressionist style. His work achieved international renown thanks to monumental commissions, the most famous being the design of the tapestry "The Triumph of Peace", presented by the Belgian government to the United Nations in 1954 for its headquarters in New York. In addition, his link with the spirit of his time led him to participate in the art competitions of the 1932 Los Angeles Olympic Games.