In a century that turned its back on figuration,Balthus' painting is figurative but not realist in the usual sense. Balthus painted his fantasies,his dreams and his nostalgia for a childhood that was itself to a large extent dreamed. This,together with his determination from the outset to ensure that his work remained in keeping with the high tradition of classical painting,makes him an artist who stood aloof from all the fashions that dominated the field of art in the 20th century.