Leonce en Lena

Anthon Beeke has an unfailing eye for the ‘zeitgeist’. He registers what is going on in society and processes this in his own, very distinctive style. He views communication, emotion and performance as the most important ingredients of his work. Beeke was one of the first people in the Netherlands to use photography as an artistic element in its own right within his designs. He also made frequent use of the erotic. This theatre poster depicts the moment when Leonce and Lena, from the play by Georg Büchner, fall in love with each other for the second time. The white painted faces with black bands of eye make-up depict the masks worn by the lovers. The essence of the story is captured in this single, powerful image. This work clearly dates from the period of New Wave and Punk.