Jan (Johannes) Heel, van | Rotterdam, the Netherlands
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untitled, 1947
oil on panel, 44.5x35cmThis still life shows a highly original composition of two roses in an almost abstracted vase. Van Heel draws attention to the background where a curious contour of a looming cockerel has been painted. The artwork is charged with erotic symbolism. The red rose might stand for lust and the pink one for tenderness; both are positioned provocatively within the impudently shaped vase. The cockerel too, has a humorous albeit erotic connotation.
Looking at the way the artist simplified imagery, Picasso may have had some influence on his work. But van Heel remained an unregimented character who continued to reinvent his own artistic practice.