Architecture & Design · 20th century
€ 900
One of a kind: this is the sheet in the photographs. Ships from Langweer, the Netherlands.
original condition with strong colors and only minor handling traces at the outer margins.
Sensual Embrace at an Ancient Temple – Original Gouache by Charles Burki, 1976
This evocative gouache painting by Charles Burki (1909–1994), signed and dated 1976, masterfully fuses sensuality, mythology, and the timeless decay of ancient architecture. The composition juxtaposes a living embrace with stone carvings of divine lovers, creating a striking dialogue between human passion and sacred symbolism.
On the left, Burki depicts an intricate temple relief reminiscent of Khmer or Balinese architecture—a pair of celestial figures entwined in a tender gesture, surrounded by ornate carvings overgrown with vines and the soft patina of age. To the right, a nude couple stands within a shadowed archway, their bodies pressed together in an intimate, almost sacred union. The woman’s pale skin, accented by a red flower in her dark hair, glows warmly against the cool green hues of the moss-covered stone.
Burki’s technical precision is remarkable: every carved detail and creeping root is rendered with architectural accuracy, while the figures are painted with a soft, almost sculptural sensuality. The contrasting materials—cold stone and warm flesh—heighten the emotional tension of the scene. The painting captures the theme of love as both eternal and fleeting, mirrored in the way nature slowly reclaims the temple walls while the lovers appear momentarily eternal in their embrace.
Executed in gouache and watercolor on textured artist’s paper, this work reflects Burki’s mature period, when his art increasingly explored cultural memory, mythology, and the human form. Having spent years in Asia, Burki was deeply inspired by Hindu and Buddhist art, often reinterpreting it through a European realist lens.
This painting belongs among his most refined allegorical works, merging postwar humanism with Oriental mysticism.
Condition: Excellent original condition with strong colors and only minor handling traces at the outer margins.
Framing tips: A dark wooden or bronze-toned frame with a cream or pale green mat will enhance both the architectural depth and the warm tones of the figures.
Technique: Gouache and watercolor on paper
Maker: Charles Burki, Dutch, 1976
