Onder de brug 1919

Editor: So this is *Onder de brug* or *Under the Bridge* by Léon Spilliaert, created in 1919, it's a pencil drawing, and the atmosphere is heavy, shadowed by the bridge with an opaque silhouette of a person and what seems to be their reflection in a dark tunnel. How do you interpret this work? Curator: What captures my attention is the tension between light and shadow, a recurring theme in Spilliaert's work. It immediately suggests a threshold, not just physically under the bridge, but perhaps also a psychological passage. The bridge is more than architectural; the arch itself functions as an opening, a womb, that carries allusions to something greater. Is that solitary figure facing away from the light a guardian? A wanderer? Editor: That's fascinating, the idea of it being a psychological passage. I hadn't considered that. The darkness is almost oppressive, but you're right, the figure seems caught between the two states. The single figure makes me think of loneliness, of isolation. Curator: Loneliness, yes, but also contemplation. Notice how Spilliaert plays with doubling, that ambiguous shadowy presence. Is it a reflection or a doppelganger? The doubling suggests a divided self. This type of imagery and repetition can highlight our internal conflict with facing ourselves, perhaps a fear of our dark side. This kind of tension also reminds me of how symbolism often reveals more than it states outright. Editor: A divided self – that adds so much depth to the reading. Thank you for that context. Curator: My pleasure. Thinking about it now, Spilliaert used symbolism to convey that division we often encounter.