Kamerscherm bestaande uit drie bladen waarop gestileerde pauwen c. 1910 - 1930

Editor: So, here we have a screen made around 1910 to 1930 by Chris Lebeau, entitled “Kamerscherm bestaande uit drie bladen waarop gestileerde pauwen,” quite a mouthful, I know. It’s a mixed-media piece featuring screenprint, and immediately it strikes me as elegant, almost theatrical. It feels like something you’d find in a bohemian's dressing room, full of secrets. What catches your eye in this artwork? Curator: Oh, this piece sings to my soul! It’s like gazing into a peacock’s dream. Those stylized peacocks...Lebeau wasn't just depicting birds; he was capturing the essence of Art Nouveau's embrace of nature and decorative art. Can you feel the lines? So fluid, yet contained, almost vibrating with the spirit of orientalism, don't you think? And what stories it could tell! It's a moment frozen in time, a whisper of a bygone era. Editor: Yes, I see what you mean. The lines definitely create a sense of flow, despite the rigid geometry. It's an interesting contrast. Do you think that the geometric elements are there to kinda of “corral” that wild spirit? Curator: Absolutely! The geometry anchors the piece, creating a sense of order. But, it's an order born from chaos. The peacocks, those flamboyant showstoppers, are tempered by the structure. Do you think Lebeau was exploring that push-and-pull of freedom and constraint in other areas of his life? One wonders, doesn’t one? I picture him pacing in his studio, agonizing about balance. Editor: That's a lovely image! Now I'm wondering if that central peacock looks almost symmetrical in its chaos... thanks to the frame. It almost has this quality about order coming from the outside. That feels pretty modern too, in a strange way. Curator: Ooh, I love that! Yes, there’s an inherent dichotomy. And look! That geometric pattern at the base...the repetition suggests boundaries…limits! A constant conversation between freedom and control. Art is just sophisticated gossip anyway. What is the "gossip" here, do you think? Editor: Well, now I see how those repeating forms are kind of limiting the design. It does change things seeing those tensions! Thanks for that different perspective. Curator: And thank you. I may just have to come back and sit with Lebeau for a little longer to try and catch the answer…