Laurens Legiers – Two Hills behind the Cave

Description

Description

Presented by: Sofie Van De Velde

Listen to the audio description of this artwork:

ENG

This painting is inspired by Virgin of the Rocks by Leonardo da Vinci. In that work, you see the Madonna in a cave, with a landscape in the background. I was particularly fascinated by the view through the opening in that painting. I found the perspective especially interesting. In my own work, I placed leaves and stalactites at the top in the foreground to enhance that cave-like perspective. This creates a clear contrast between the sharp foreground and the blurred background. For the landscape, I drew inspiration from the Dutch painter Barend Cornelis Koekkoek, who is known for his romantic and mysterious nature scenes. His style fits perfectly with the sharp, threatening shapes of the stalactites.

Dit schilderij is geïnspireerd op Madonna in de Grot van Leonardo da Vinci. In dat werk zie je Madonna in een grot, met daarachter een landschap. Ik raakte vooral geboeid door het doorkijkje in dat schilderij. Het perspectief daarin vond ik interessant. In mijn eigen werk heb ik bladeren en stalactieten bovenaan op de voorgrond geplaatst om dat perspectief vanuit een grot te versterken. Zo ontstaat er een duidelijk verschil tussen de scherpe voorgrond en de wazige achtergrond. Voor het landschap liet ik me inspireren door de Nederlandse schilder Barend Cornelis Koekkoek, die bekend staat om zijn romantische en mysterieuze natuurtaferelen. Zijn stijl past perfect bij de scherpe, dreigende vormen van de stalactieten.

°1994
Lives and works in Antwerp, Belgium
Studied at Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp (2018)

Belgian painter Laurens Legiers takes inspiration from Romanticism, reinterpreting its celebration of emotion, imagination, and nature in a contemporary light. Drawing from the atmosphere and imagery of the late 18th century, his work reimagines classic motifs while creating serene, harmonious compositions. Legiers emphasizes the overall motif rather than fine details, resulting in soft, almost graphic visuals that serve as a canvas for his masterful play of light and shadow.

Working from memory and emotion, he simplifies and idealizes his subjects, balancing realistic elements with refined, symmetrical scenes that verge on the surreal. Beneath the tranquil surface of his paintings lies a subtle tension that captures the viewer’s attention. This is heightened by his skillful use of depth and perspective, contrasting sharp, precise edges in the foreground with softened backgrounds.

In recent works, Legiers pushes his experimentation further, incorporating varied textures and recurring elements such as water and raindrops. These additions add depth and dynamism while reinforcing his artistic evolution. Through this approach, Legiers builds a compelling visual language that blends timeless beauty with modern innovation.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurens.legiers/

Sofie Van De Velde

Gallery Sofie Van de Velde, located in Antwerp, stands for entrepreneurship in art. Through the
participation in art fairs and exhibitions, the gallery focuses on representing artists in a strong
international network. Together with the artist, a process is defined to bring the body of work to a
new level. Moving away from a conventional competition-minded gallery model, Sofie Van de
Velde’s philosophy is one of collaboration and shared opportunities and networks.
Art Integration

Through active use of its international network, Gallery Sofie Van de Velde continuously seeks
opportunities to integrate art in the city and in the public space. The bringing together of artists
and projects in a broader context is part of the gallery’s entrepreneurial view on art, and
endorses the belief that a dialogue between the city and the contemporary art scene is mutually
beneficial.
In doing so, the gallery works with three distinct groups of artists: young artists who bring fresh
perspectives and innovation to the contemporary art world; mid-career artists, whose evolving
practices contribute significantly to the cultural dialogue; and artist estates, preserving and
promoting the legacies of historical artists. This holistic approach ensures support at every stage
of an artist’s journey while celebrating the enduring relevance of past artistic achievements.

Estates

As a consequence of a deep affection for certain oeuvres, Gallery Sofie Van de Velde also
supports and manages several artist estates. In close collaboration with the family of the
deceased artist, the gallery offers structural and visionary support when necessary. In doing so, it
protects the oeuvre and allows it to grow gradually in a broad and international context.
Currently Gallery Sofie Van de Velde manages the artist estates of Ilse D’Hollander, Guy Mees,
Charlotte Posenenske, Roger Raveel and Bernd Lohaus.
Gallery Sofie Van de Velde occasionally opts for the inclusion of earlier works in exhibitions.
Bringing twentieth century works together with contemporary pieces, is a way of proving they
haven’t lost any of their relevance. Structurally supporting artist estates is another one.

Website: www.sofievandevelde.be