Landschap 1930

This watercolour ‘Landschap’ was made by Léon Spilliaert, though we don’t know when. The palette is muted, earthy and organic and reminds me of a day at the beach. The way Spilliaert uses these colours is so interesting; he really lets the process guide him and it’s like the image emerges through a series of washes and delicate brushstrokes. The texture is quite smooth, and the transparency of the watercolour allows the paper to shine through. Look at the trees to the right of the composition, see how the brushstrokes dance and sway, capturing the essence of foliage with minimal detail? Each mark feels deliberate yet spontaneous, creating a sense of movement and life. I think there’s a conversation going on between the foreground and background, a kind of call and response. Spilliaert’s work often explores themes of isolation and introspection, and it makes me think of the work of Edvard Munch, with a similar interest in capturing the inner emotional landscape. Ultimately, ‘Landschap’ is an invitation to pause, breathe, and contemplate the beauty and complexity of the natural world.