The Man with the Bottle in the Museum of Fine Arts Ghent, Belgium

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This Gypsum sculpture measures 49.4 cm x 68.9 cm x 29.3 cm, a creation from 1897 by George Minne. On permanent display at the Museum of Fine Arts in Ghent, it showcases the artist's work. In "The man with the Bottle" (also known as "De man met de Waterzak"), Minne depicts a wiry, slender figure lifting a bottle to pour water, revealing his artistic skill through the image. One of the few works by Minne with preparatory drawings available, these studies are found in a sketchbook from 1897-1898, also housed at the museum. The series demonstrates how Minne composed a baptism scene, offering insight into the deeper meaning behind the image. In Christian symbolism, water represents life's source, while the Symbolists of the fin de siècle often depict the descent into "the primordial water within us," leading to self-discovery. This ambiguity is characteristic of Minne's art.