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Co Westerik
Female Shins, 2006
Co Westerik (1924-2018) painstakingly selected the subjects for his paintings. He wanted to be sure that his interest did not wane during the lengthy genesis of his works. He subsequently carefully planned the process, with various sketches of his ideas. In some cases, he already decided the colou
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r of the work at this stage. Westerik then magnified one of his sketches on canvas or panel, and painted a brown foundation layer in tempera (a paint with a matt finish). The next step was to use white paint to lighten the parts of the picture that deserved more attention. Westerik finally added various layers of thinned coloured oils.
Westerik kept detailed records of his progress and working methods in his journals. In his impeccable handwriting, he charted his creative process in no less than nine of these journals. He describes technical experiments (using various media), paint recipes and his quest to find subjects and the correct compositions. Westerik’s journals reveal that he devoted his oeuvre to portraying the human form, like these female shins. His subjects are commonplace, but there is a certain uneasiness about his paintings, alongside a vulnerability and poignancy. His male shins, also in the Museum MORE collection, offer another prime example of this.
Text: Evelien Verheij, collection coordinator
Artist
Co Westerik
Title
Female Shins
Year
2006
Technique
Mixed media on canvas
Size
85 x 110 cm (h x w)
Type of object
Painting
Copyright
© Pictoright
This work is protected by copyright. You need permission from the creator or his heir to download, edit, copy or publish it.
