"Girl Dreamin' in Blue" is a sensual, introspective portrait that radiates softness, warmth, and quiet confidence. In this painting, Willem van der Krieken captures a moment of personal reverie — a woman kneels gracefully, eyes closed, gently running her fingers through her hair. She is wrapped in a plush, textured blue robe that both reveals and conceals, drawing a delicate line between intimacy and self-possession.
The palette is an expressive interplay of cool blues and deep earth tones, scraped and brushed with Willem’s characteristic textural intensity. The woman's skin glows with warmth, emerging from the cooler surroundings like a flame in velvet. The robe’s thick impasto texture adds a tactile dimension to the work, inviting not just visual attention but a sense of physical closeness.
There’s no direct confrontation with the viewer here. Instead, we witness a private moment — a woman completely at ease with herself. The subtle smile on her lips suggests contentment, a dreamlike state, perhaps even self-love. The composition is balanced yet fluid, almost as if the figure is gently dissolving into the background — or dreaming herself into being.
Oil painting on canvas – 80×100 cm
"Girl Dreamin' in Blue" is a sensual, introspective portrait that radiates softness, warmth, and quiet confidence. In this painting, Willem van der Krieken captures a moment of personal reverie — a woman kneels gracefully, eyes closed, gently running her fingers through her hair. She is wrapped in a plush, textured blue robe that both reveals and conceals, drawing a delicate line between intimacy and self-possession.
The palette is an expressive interplay of cool blues and deep earth tones, scraped and brushed with Willem’s characteristic textural intensity. The woman's skin glows with warmth, emerging from the cooler surroundings like a flame in velvet. The robe’s thick impasto texture adds a tactile dimension to the work, inviting not just visual attention but a sense of physical closeness.
There’s no direct confrontation with the viewer here. Instead, we witness a private moment — a woman completely at ease with herself. The subtle smile on her lips suggests contentment, a dreamlike state, perhaps even self-love. The composition is balanced yet fluid, almost as if the figure is gently dissolving into the background — or dreaming herself into being.
Oil painting on canvas – 80×100 cm
