Kindje in kinderstoel 1919

Léon Spilliaert made this print of a child in a highchair sometime in his career, probably using wood or linoleum. The bold cuts and high contrast create a powerful image. I can almost feel the artist’s hand as he carved away at the block, each line deliberate, leaving just enough to conjure this haunting image. It feels like Spilliaert understood the magic and the terror of childhood. What was he thinking as he rendered the child’s gaze with such intensity? Was it a reflection of his own inner world, or a commentary on innocence and vulnerability? The starkness reminds me of other expressionist printmakers like Munch or Kirchner, who weren't afraid to explore the darker sides of human emotion. It’s a reminder that art is a conversation across time, a way for artists to grapple with the messy, complicated business of being human.