The mysterious imagery of Léon Spilliaert (Ostend 1881–Brussels 1946) exerts a particular fascination. His works on paper evoke the solitude of human beings and the immensity of the sea, the life of places familiar to the artist in and around his home town of Ostend, together with domestic interiors and objects. His striking self-portraits convey the anguish of sounding the very depths of his being. His creations reflect a highly individual and spiritual meditation, through close observation of scenes that symbolize eternal Nature, out of time. 

The twenty-one works in this exhibition all stem from the artist’s family – an intimate chronicle of his artistic quest and explorations. The accompanying catalog situates Spilliaert's oeuvre within the wider context of the art of his day. It includes a unique, first-hand account of the artist’s family life, together with succinct chapters outlining the exceptional artistic contribution of the featured works. It includes texts written by leading Spilliaert expert Anne Adriaens-Pannier, art historian Édouard Derom and Professor Jeffery Howe, and an interview with Spilliaert’s grandson, Johan van Rossum.

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