En de eeuwige schrik 4 als wijsheid - Anton Heyboer

A 1972 mixed media work by Dutch artist Anton Heyboer, combining gestural orange pigment, thin line drawings, and handwritten philosophical text.

Anton Heyboer was a Dutch artist known for his idiosyncratic approach to art, which often merged personal philosophy with visual expression. This work, titled 'En de eeuwige schrik 4 als wijsheid' (And the eternal fright 4 as wisdom), dates from 1972. It reflects the artist's practice of using paper as a surface for both drawing and handwritten text, creating a document that functions as a record of his internal state. The composition is sparse, featuring a solitary, elongated figure rendered in thin, dark lines on the left side. This figure acts as a witness to the surrounding space. The central area is dominated by clusters of bright orange pigment, applied in a gestural, almost tactile manner. These marks interact with the handwritten Dutch text that weaves through the page. Heyboer often used his art to map his own psychological experiences, and the combination of script and mark-making here suggests a stream-of-consciousness process. The paper itself shows signs of age and handling, with visible creases and a raw, unrefined quality that is characteristic of Heyboer's output. By integrating text directly into the visual field, the artist removes the boundary between the image and the written word. This piece offers a glimpse into the artist's private world, where concepts of fear and wisdom are explored through a raw, unfiltered aesthetic. The work is not intended to be decorative, but rather a direct communication of the artist's thoughts at a specific moment in time.