Gustave Van De Woestyne (1881-1947)

During the 1920’s Gustave Van de Woestyne developed a special interest for still lifes, next to his monumental projects. These still lifes were never plain, but often with more unusual compositions, meditative and spiritualized, withdrawn from time and space. The silhouettes of the objects are well defined, the composition is clear and the shapes are elegant and reduced to the essence. Predominantly flowers, plants and fruits were depicted. The still lifes from the 1920’s have a bright palette, given them a certain cool tone, while in the next decennium the colours become darker and gain warmth. From the fact that Van de Woestijne often exhibited his still lifes, we can conclude that he considered them full-fledged works of art. (R. Hozee, C. Verleysen, Gustave Van de Woestyne, Brussels 2010, pp. 210, 219.)