Roeland van der Kley

Roeland van der Kley (1960–2023) painted stories in which reality, imagination and the distinct character of Zeeuws-Vlaanderen come together. His work is associated with magic realism: recognisable scenes take on an unexpected character, sometimes humorous, sometimes subtly unsettling. Although he grew up in Breda, Roeland felt a strong connection with Zeeuws-Vlaanderen from an early age. He later settled in Mauritsfort near Hoek, where the landscape, open skies and local stories became a lasting source of inspiration. His paintings feature striking figures, historical references and scenes that feel like theatrical moments frozen in time. Roeland worked with great craftsmanship and a keen sense of composition and atmosphere. His paintings invite the viewer to look longer: behind the first impression, there is often humour, tension or a story that does not reveal itself immediately. He aptly described his own work as ‘theatre on canvas’. In addition to painting, Roeland also worked as a draughtsman and graphic artist. In his later work, he increasingly connected visual art with stories from Zeeuws-Vlaanderen, including De drieling van Terhole and the triptych he created in honour of Mathilde Willink. He left behind a distinctive body of work in which craftsmanship, imagination and love for the region are inseparably intertwined.

format:  120 x 140 cm

type: 

Description: 

The name of this painting immediately evokes numerous lyrics and musical notes, but fits perfectly with this beautiful work made in the warm summer weeks of 2019. In the foreground we see Isilareina (abbreviated: Isi), she wears a necklace of "diamonds" and felt in heavenly spheres. (This is how the artist came to the title of this work.) In the background we see the floodplains of Huissen. An almost beautiful combination with the lady in the foreground. The painting is smooth, alla prima, painted with oil on linen.