The artwork titled “Revelation (The Watch)” was created by the artist Remedios Varo in 1955. It belongs to the Surrealism movement and is categorized as a symbolic painting. Varo’s work typically delves into themes of the subconscious and the mystical, often blending elements of fantasy with reality in her distinctive painterly style.
In “Revelation (The Watch),” we observe a scene infused with enigmatic symbolism set in an interior space that appears to be a mix of a room and a tented structure, draped with curtains. The central figure, a person with an introspective expression, is seated at a table setting that is meticulously laid out with a variety of dishes and stemware. Interestingly, the figure’s hands are cradling a translucent globe, which seems to contain a spiraling form, perhaps alluding to introspection or the act of gazing into a different realm or consciousness.
In the background, aligned with the curtains, are towering grandfather clocks, each with a smaller figure inside, occupied with different activities such as reading and working. These scenes within the clocks may symbolize the passing of time or various dimensions of experience. A checkerboard-like floor extends beneath the table, contributing to the room’s surreal and dream-like quality.
To the right side of the tableau, a significant window or aperture reveals an outer space scene with celestial bodies, reinforcing themes of cosmic exploration and the unknown. On the floor near the seated figure, there is a geometric arrangement of objects, possibly papers with symbols or drawings on them, scattered in a seemingly random but potentially meaningful pattern.
Lastly, a cat, a recurrent motif in Varo’s work that often represents the mysterious or magical, sits calmly on what looks like a cushion or soft surface, completing this otherworldly and thought-provoking composition. Through the artwork, Varo invites viewers to navigate a reality that transcends the ordinary, urging a contemplation of the obscure links between time, existence, and the cosmic order.
