Gustave van de Woestyne (1881-1947)

The present lot belongs to the monumental works Van de Woestyne painted between 1926-1928. The use of a monochrome palette and a sober topic are characteristic for this period. The wife of the artist (Prudence) posed for it. During the years their children were young, the motive of mother and child had a strong presence in his oeuvre. In 1928 this theme emerged rather unexpectedly in a strange décor with a visible influence by the Flemish and Italian primitives and of Egyptian art. The present lot also carries a religious character, which can be seen in the child reaching for the head of the mother. This motive was very common in Medieval representations of Madonna with child. The alienating contrast between de strong physical presence of the figure and the surreal, small space is a returning element in the later works of Van de Woestyne.