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a painting of a person walking on the beacha painting of a woman walking on the beacha painting of a clock tower in the middle of a fielda painting of a person walking on a beach with a hatan image of a painting of a church in the middle of a fielda painting of a woman with a hat walking on the beacha painting hanging on the wall in a large room
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Estimate €300,000 - €400,000
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Léon SPILLIAERT Little Girl in a Large Hat, Seaside – 1909 Indian ink, gouache and pastel on paper Signed and dated lower left “L. Spilliaert 09” On the reverse 1 May, Ostend – 1920 Watercolour and gouache Signed lower right “L. Spilliaert”, dated lower left “1 May” 60 x 69.5 cm Provenance: Collection of Mrs Pierre Stoop, Antwerp Collection of François Stoop, Kapellen (1998–2004) OFFA Gallery (Olivier Fayt Fine Art), Knokke (2011) Acquired from the latter by the current owner on 31 January 2011 Louis Grandchamp des Raux Collection Exhibitions: Brussels, BRAFA, OFFA Gallery, Olivier Fayt Fine Art, Knokke, January 2011 (according to a label on the reverse) Ostend, Venetiaanse Gaanderijen, Zeedrijk, Bonjour Ostend, June–September 2013, p. 203, reproduced in colour on p. 9 (according to a label on the reverse) Bibliography: E. De Kuyper, Aan zee. Scenes from Childhood, Uitgeverij Vantilt, Nijmegen, 2015, reproduced in colour on the cover This work will be included in the catalogue raisonné of Léon Spilliaert’s work currently being prepared by Ms Anne Adriaens-Pannier India ink, gouache and pastel on paper; signed and dated lower left; on the reverse, watercolour and gouache; signed lower right and dated lower left; 23 5/8 x 27 3/8 in. ‘You are the most mysterious, the most secret, the most extraordinary’. The singularity of Léon Spilliaert’s thinking, highlighted here by the painter Mayou Iserentant, is associated with a free-spirited personality and a disconcerting art. The artist, a native of Ostend like James Ensor, followed a solitary path, unbound by convention. Prone to introspection, he drew inspiration from the literature and philosophy of his time and infused his work with the melancholic thoughts that overwhelmed and tormented him. Constantly plagued by uncertainty, he embarked on a tireless quest for his artistic identity and ventured down uncharted paths. Around 1902–1903, the young man worked for the publisher and bookseller Edmond Deman, who introduced him to Brussels’ cultural circles and commissioned him to illustrate works by Maurice Maeterlinck and Émile Verhaeren. Spilliaert’s early works follow in the tradition of fin-de-siècle European Symbolism, exploring themes of melancholy, solitude and the immensity of nature. Women also lie at the heart of his work, appearing here associated with the power of the elements (fig. 1). The female figure is rooted in the sand, seen from behind as she faces the sea and the wind, which forces her to hold on to her hat. The artist links his vision of femininity to the constant presence of the wind: he frequently depicts women whose clothes, hair and silhouettes are animated by the sea breeze, billowing and moving with intensity. This aesthetic of fluidity pervades this work, in which this young girl (or woman?), her gaze turned towards the dark water, faces the elements whilst buffeted by fierce winds (fig. 2). In 1908–1909, Spilliaert rented a studio for a few months on the Quai des Pêcheurs in Ostend to be as close as possible to the sea and the daily life of the harbour. His women by the sea may evoke a sense of anticipation and hope following the departure of a boat leaving the harbour. The motif of a woman in a large hat standing alone facing the sea appears repeatedly during this period, as in his *Woman by the Water’s Edge*, painted in 1910 (fig. 3). Fig. 1: Léon Spilliaert, Woman on the Seawall, 1907, Pencil, watercolour, gouache, pencil, Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium Fig. 2: Léon Spilliaert, Woman in a Hat, seen from behind, circa 1910 Fig. 3: Léon Spilliaert, Woman by the Water’s Edge, 1910, Indian ink, coloured pencil and pastel on paper, Private collection Léon SPILLIAERT 60 x 69.5 cm “You are the most mysterious, the most secretive, the most extraordinary”. The uniqueness of Léon Spilliaert’s thinking, highlighted here by the painter Mayou Iserentant, is linked to his free-spirited personality and unsettling art. The artist, like James Ensor, a native of Ostend, followed a solitary path, free from convention. Prone to introspection, he drew inspiration from the literature and philosophy of his time and infused his work with the melancholic thoughts that overwhelmed and tormented him. Constantly plagued by uncertainty, he pursued an endless quest for his own artistic identity. In 1902–1903, the young artist worked for the publisher and bookseller Edmond Deman, who introduced him to Brussels’ cultural circles and commissioned him to illustrate works by Maurice Maeterlinck and Émile Verhaeren. Spilliaert’s early works follow in the tradition of fin-de-siècle European Symbolism, exploring themes of melancholy, solitude and the immensity of nature. Women as a subject are also central to his work, appearing here in association with the power of the elements (ill. 1). The female figure stands rooted in the sand, her back to the sea and the wind, which is forcing her to hold on to her hat. Here, Spilliaert links his vision of femininity to the constant presence of the wind: he frequently depicted women whose clothes, hair and silhouettes are animated by the sea breeze; billowing and moving with intensity. This aesthetic of suspension pervades this work; the young girl (or woman?), her gaze turned towards the dark water, faces the elements as she is buffeted by fierce winds (ill. 2). In 1908–1909, Spilliaert rented a studio for a few months in Ostend on the Quai des Pêcheurs to be as close as possible to the sea and the daily life of the port. His paintings of women by the water’s edge are perhaps intended to evoke a sense of anticipation and hope after the boat has left the harbour. The motif of a woman in a large hat standing alone facing the sea appears several times during this period, as in his *Femme au bord de l’eau*, painted in 1910 (ill. 3). Fig. 1: Léon Spilliaert, *Femme au bord de la digue*, 1907, pencil, watercolour, gouache, pencil, Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium Fig. 2: Léon Spilliaert, Woman in a Hat Seen from Behind, circa 1910 Fig. 3: Léon Spilliaert, Woman by the Water’s Edge, 1910, Indian ink, coloured pencil and pastel on paper, Private collection
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About the sale The Louis Grandchamp des Raux Collection
Auction location
Auction time 10/24/2026 at 4:00 PM
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