|
|
Leon Spilliaert
|
Title: Baigneuse (Bather), 1910
Artist: Leon Spilliaert (Belgian 1881-1946)
Medium: Encre de chine, pinceau, pastel sur papier
Dimensions: 649 x 504 mm
Permanent Collection:
royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique, Bruxelles
Image Courtesy: Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium
|
Caught between symbolism and expressionism is one way to describe the unique oeuvre of Belgian artist Leon Spilliaert. On the 60th anniversary of his passing
the Royal Museums of Fine Arts in Brussels have organized an exhibit celebrating the artist featuring over 300 examples of his works.
|
Biography
Title: Printemps (Spring), 1911
Artist: Leon Spilliaert (Belgian 1881-1946)
Medium: Encre de Chine, gouache, pastel sur carton épais
Dimensions: 701 x 891 mm
Permanent Collection: Musées royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique, Bruxelles
Image Courtesy: Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium
Spilliaert was born in Ostend in 1881. He was a self-taught artist who rarely painted in oils. He had a life-long interest in art and drawing and was known to be a prolific doodler.
As a child he was in constant poor health which certainly led to a lack of development of social skills. Perhaps anti-social, perhaps incredibly shy, he spent much of his early
years sketching scenes of ordinary life and the Belgian countryside. At the age of 21 he worked for a Brussels-based publisher.
Title: Salle des tables d’hôtes, 1904
Artist: Leon Spilliaert (Belgian 1881-1946)
Medium: Encre de Chine, lavis, pinceau, pastel, aquarelle sur papier
Dimensions: 499 x 497 mm
Permanent Collection: Musées royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique, Bruxelles
Image Courtesy: Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium
|
His preference was for an immaterial substance, for example
aquarelle's, pastels and gouache to express the spiritual content of his work. Spilliaert did not like to use oils.
|
Title: Les habits blancs, 1912
Artist: Leon Spilliaert (Belgian 1881-1946)
Medium: Craie noire, craie de couleur, gouache sur carton
Dimensions: 900 x 700 mm
Permanent Collection: Museum voor Schone Kunsten, Ostende
Image Courtesy: Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium
|
It is difficult to place Leon Spilliaert in any one category. His work was far too unique to be termed as symbolist or expressionist.
Title: La Digue, 1909
Artist: Leon Spilliaert (Belgian 1881-1946)
Medium: Lavis d'encre de Chine, pinceau, aquarelle, crayon de couleur sur papier plié collé sur carton
Dimensions: 998 x 738 mm
Permanent Collection: Musées royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique, Bruxelles
Image Courtesy: Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium
He used soft colors that often conveyed a sense of melancholy or sadness, perhaps not strange given his lonely childhood.
Title: Self-Portrait / Autoportrait, 1907-1908
Artist: Leon Spilliaert (Belgian 1881-1946)
Medium: Encre de Chine, pinceau, crayon de couleur, aquarelle sur papier
Dimensions: 488 x 630 mm
Permanent Collection: Musées royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique, Bruxelles
Image Courtesy: Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium
His preferred subject were ordinary people doing common everyday things.
Title: Marine jaune et mauve (Yellow, Mauve and Navy Blue), 1923
Artist: Leon Spilliaert (Belgian 1881-1946)
Medium: Aquarelle, gouache, pastel sur papier
Dimensions: 523 x 601 mm (jour)
Permanent Collection: Musées royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique, Bruxelles
Image Courtesy: Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium
|
Title: Serres chaudes, 1917
Artist: Leon Spilliaert (Belgian 1881-1946)
Medium: Crayon conté, encre de Chine, pinceau,
crayon de couleur sur papier chamois
Dimensions: 661 x 498 mm (jour)
Permanent Collection: Collection privée
Image Courtesy: Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium
|
Spilliaert may have come under the influences of Manet and Japanese printing which are reflective in his unique style.
|
Leon Spilliaert
Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium:
September 21, 2006 - February 3, 2007
|
|
