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Lot Essay
Carel Willink was especially interested by the interplay of an infinite landscape with antique sculptures in his paintings. The strong depth in these paintings evokes a sensation of loneliness and emptiness. He reached these amazing depths through different overlapping elements and the atmospheric perspective.
Willink's passion for classical sculptures started in Italy. He was impressed by the beautiful art and architecture of the Greeks and Romans. In his later works he started to paint these sculptures and also sculptures from the Jardin des Tuileries, the Parc de Sceaux in Paris and from the gardens of Versailles. Willink photographed the sculptures when visiting the gardens in France and started painting when he was back in his studio in Amsterdam.
All these typical elements of landscape painting by Willink are also found in the present lot, which is dated 1952. The painting depicts the Parc de Sceaux in Sceaux, Hauts-de-Seine, part of the suburbs of Paris. The park was designed around the end of the Seventeenth Century by Andre Le Notre (1613-1700) with the sculptures by François Girardon (1628-1715) and Antoine Coysevox (1640-1720). Willink aims to create a desolation and emptiness by placing the classical statues against the wideness of the background. The perspective of the artwork strengthens the loneliness in the work.
The painting is hyper-realistic, nevertheless the situation appears distinctly unrealistic because of the emptiness of the spaces and the strange harsh light which falls against the dark sky. Willink's style may be recognized by the oddly shaped dark clouds, which are an important element of the composition, creating an image of a beautiful, realistic dream.
Willink's passion for classical sculptures started in Italy. He was impressed by the beautiful art and architecture of the Greeks and Romans. In his later works he started to paint these sculptures and also sculptures from the Jardin des Tuileries, the Parc de Sceaux in Paris and from the gardens of Versailles. Willink photographed the sculptures when visiting the gardens in France and started painting when he was back in his studio in Amsterdam.
All these typical elements of landscape painting by Willink are also found in the present lot, which is dated 1952. The painting depicts the Parc de Sceaux in Sceaux, Hauts-de-Seine, part of the suburbs of Paris. The park was designed around the end of the Seventeenth Century by Andre Le Notre (1613-1700) with the sculptures by François Girardon (1628-1715) and Antoine Coysevox (1640-1720). Willink aims to create a desolation and emptiness by placing the classical statues against the wideness of the background. The perspective of the artwork strengthens the loneliness in the work.
The painting is hyper-realistic, nevertheless the situation appears distinctly unrealistic because of the emptiness of the spaces and the strange harsh light which falls against the dark sky. Willink's style may be recognized by the oddly shaped dark clouds, which are an important element of the composition, creating an image of a beautiful, realistic dream.