Kindje in kinderstoel 1919

Léon Spilliaert made this evocative print, "Kindje in kinderstoel", with graphic black ink, cutting away at the surface to reveal a bright, grainy paper. The whole thing is a study in contrasts, the dark ink making the image feel both intimate and slightly unsettling. I’m drawn to the eyes of the baby. They're large, dark pools that seem to stare right through you. Notice how the artist simplified the features, focusing on these expressive eyes. It gives the child a sort of knowing gaze, as if they possess a secret understanding of the world. The graphic nature of the medium - it's almost like the baby is emerging out of the darkness, and that really speaks to me about the uncertain nature of identity. Something about this piece makes me think of Munch, a similar mood, but here the child's gaze is directed outwards. Ultimately it's the ambiguity of the print that makes it so compelling, inviting us to project our own feelings onto its enigmatic surface.