Expressive 1987 painting by Hugo Heyens, depicting an intimate mother-and-child scene, executed in oil on canvas, signed and dated.
Rendered in deep monochrome tones, this haunting work reveals a mother holding her lifeless child in a composition charged with emotion and symbolism. The blurred features, the dramatic contrast between darkness and pale highlights, and the expressive, almost drawn quality of the paint create an atmosphere of grief and spiritual intensity. Heyens, known for his introspective and often somber subjects, explores here the fragile boundary between suffering and transcendence. The work carries a stark, human vulnerability that resonates far beyond its religious undertones.
During this period, Heyens moved from neo-expressionism toward a more symbolic and introspective language. The quiet spirituality and emotional vulnerability in this work reflect key themes within his oeuvre.
The painting comes directly from the family and was exhibited in the museum of the Abbey of Bonheiden. It is documented in “Hugo Heyens – L.M.A. Schoonbaert” (ISBN 9789073214057, 1992), p. 86.
Details:
Artist: Hugo Heyens (Mortsel, 1942 – Antwerp, 1987)
Title: Moeder en Kind uit 1987 (1987)
Technique: Oil on canvas
Condition: Excellent
Signature: Signed and dated
Sold with frame: Yes
Dimensions without frame: 88.5 × 58.5 cm
Dimensions with frame: 103 × 73 cm
Provenance: Auction; directly from the family
Notes: Exhibited in the museum of the Abbey of Bonheiden; documented in Hugo Heyens – L.M.A. Schoonbaert (ISBN 9789073214057), p. 86.
