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PROPERTY FROM A PRIVATE FRENCH COLLECTION LÉON SPILLIAERT 1881-1946 JEUNE FILLE ACCOUDÉE AU BASTINGAGE, FACE AU PORT

Executed in 1909.

signed L. Spilliaert (lower right), dated S 1909 (upper right)

pastel, wax crayons, gouache, brush and ink and black crayon on paper

To be included in the forthcoming Spilliaert Catalogue raisonné being prepared by Anne Adriaens-Pannier.
PROVENANCE

Emilien-Mathieu de Albytre, Liège (acquired circa 1925-30)
Thence by descent to the present owner
CATALOGUE NOTE

The present work was executed in 1909, a period when Spilliaert was considered to be at the peak of his powers. A young woman is portrayed leaning over the rails, contemplating the return of the fishermen at sundown.

Spilliaert masters here a tightly organised, angular composition in subtle tones largely restricted to blue and yellow. Like many artists of the time, Spilliaert was profoundly influenced by Japanese prints. Jeune fille accoudée is a clear example of this impact: the stylised silhouettes of the boats, the zigzag of the light on the sea and the railing that cuts across the compostion. This device suggests that the scene extends beyond the edges of the paper, leaving the viewer to imagine the rest.

The use of pastels in complimentary colours gives a feeling of warmth as well as a rich texture to the work. The horizontal movements of the boats seen through the railings conveys a sense of calm. These effects emphasise the pensive mood of the girl standing alone at the waterfront, looking out to sea.

FIG. 1, Léon Spilliaert, Femme sur la digue, 1907, crayon, watercolour and gouache on paper, Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique, Bruxelles