Léon Spilliaert (1881-1946)

Book excerpt: Léon Spilliaert (1881-1946) was a daring and visionary artist who callenged the artistic conventions of his day. Born in Ostend, as a young man he wandered the night-time streets of the North Sea resort, creating mysterious and highly atmospheric evocations of its dark quays, beaches and promenades. These layered works, among his most radical, have profound psychological depth and ambiguity, traits also seen in a series of haunting self-portraits considered outstanding exemplars of the genre. This publication, accompanying the first monographic exhibition of Spilliaert's art in Britain, illustrates over a hundred works from international collections. The Belgian artist Luc Tuymans, who considers Spilliaert a key influence, introduces the book.