Léon Spilliaert: an artist that embraced the dark

Insomniac artist Léon Spilliaert wandered Ostend at night, finding in its empty streets and endless beach the exterior equivalent of his inner isolation. Matthew Beaumont explores the solitude at the heart of his paintings.

RA Exhibitions

< 5 years ago

Video: meet insomniac artist Léon Spilliaert

Belgian artist Léon Spilliaert was an insomniac. He wandered the streets of Brussels at night in search of inspiration. In this video, delve into the solitude and mystery that encompasses the artist’s evocative paintings.

Artists

< 5 years ago

In the early hours with Léon Spilliaert

Léon Spilliaert’s strange nocturnal atmospheres are pregnant with mystery and silence. Novelist Alan Hollinghurst explores the Belgian artist’s shadowy interiors, shelterless landscapes and probing self-portraits.

Articles