Duinen 1928

Léon Spilliaert made this painting of dunes using oil, and it's kind of eerie, right? It’s got this dreamlike quality, almost as if the landscape is breathing. I'm drawn to how he's used color – this muted, melancholic palette, lots of yellows and browns. It makes me think about how color alone can set a mood, you know? The paint isn't too thick, but it's not invisible either. You can see the brushstrokes, especially in the sky, where they blend in soft, hazy ways. Then, look at the clumps of grass – each one is like a little scribble, a burst of energy. And those long shadows, they almost seem to have a life of their own, stretching out like fingers. Spilliaert’s works often explore these isolated, contemplative spaces, like you might see in the work of Edward Hopper, but with a bit more angst. I think he's trying to show us something beyond the surface, a feeling that lingers like the sea mist on the dunes.