De vijf zintuigen 1880 - 1936

This print of five portraits by Fons Van der Velde is called “De vijf zintuigen” and probably dates from the early 20th century. The tonal range is narrow, almost monochromatic, but that only heightens the sense of each individual character. I wonder, how did Van der Velde approach this process? Each figure seems to be engaging with their respective senses: taste, touch, sight, smell, and sound. But it’s almost as though the senses have taken over their faces, which become grotesque and exaggerated. As a painter, I think about the act of ‘seeing’ as a kind of haptic, material act. A painter traces the outer limits of the visible, but also dives deep into the inner experience of sense and feeling. I'm thinking about other artists who have worked with the face as a landscape of emotion, such as Ensor, or maybe even Munch. In the end, all art is about connection. In a weird way, Van der Velde is in dialogue with all of these artists and many more.