Paul Joostens' (1889-1960) sketch depicting various zodiac figures exemplifies how ancient astrological symbolism continued to provide creative inspiration for modern artists grappling with rapidly changing cultural contexts. This work, part of the Royal Museum of Fine Arts in Antwerp's collection, represents Joostens' engagement with mythological frameworks during his association with De Pelgrim, a Catholic-inspired art collective that sought to reconnect modern artistic expression with spiritual traditions.

Joostens' artistic trajectory—moving from Cubism through Dadaism and abstraction before developing his self-described "Gothic Joostens" style heavily influenced by Flemish Primitives—illustrates the complex relationship between modernist experimentation and traditional symbolic systems. Rather than simply rejecting established mythological frameworks, many modernist artists reinterpreted them through new formal approaches, finding continuing value in ancient symbolic languages even as they embraced innovative techniques.

The zodiac itself represents one of humanity's most enduring mythological frameworks, providing a system for understanding the relationship between celestial phenomena and human experience. By incorporating zodiacal imagery into his work, Joostens participates in an artistic tradition stretching back to ancient civilisations while reinterpreting these symbols through the lens of modern aesthetic sensibilities and personal spiritual exploration.

Joostens' exploration of religious themes alongside more experimental and sensual subjects throughout his career demonstrates how mythological thinking persisted in modernist art despite its ostensible rejection of traditional frameworks. His eventual isolation and the darker tone of his later works reflects the challenges faced by artists attempting to maintain connection to traditional symbolic systems while responding to the profound social and cultural disruptions of the early 20th century. This tension between tradition and innovation, spiritual search and material reality, characterises much of the most significant art of this turbulent period.