Edwin IJpeij

About Artist:

Edwin IJpeij (b. 1969) is a contemporary Dutch artist and inventor based near Maastricht. Working at the intersection of painting, photography, and alchemy, he transforms classical technique into a language of sensual power and visual tension. From his laboratorio, he explores the boundaries between beauty, desire, and control.

Often described as forbidden art, Edwin’s work redefines the gaze on the feminine. His nudes, stripped of artifice and portrayed with elegance and restraint, reveal strength rather than submission, an invitation to see beyond surface and seduction. Each piece captures that fragile point where allure meets authenticity.

Combining the Old Masters’ techniques of tempera and oil with his background in chemistry, Edwin creates his own pigments and materials, achieving a depth and texture reminiscent of Van Eyck and Leonardo. This meticulous process gives his portraits their distinctive luminosity and presence.

Edwin’s works have been exhibited internationally, including in Maastricht, Miami, Barcelona, London, Venice, Knokke, and Amsterdam, and are held in private collections across Europe. He is represented by Espace Art Gallery (Brussels) and Galerie ArtPéro (Namur, Belgium).

About Artwork:

This work is inspired by the painting David with the Head of Goliath by the Italian Baroque painter Caravaggio. Edwin took a theme the death of the ego, since our ego's are often the Goliaths in our own lives. They seem important and gigantic, however, when being aware of your own ego, creates a feeling of absolute freedom. This theme is pictured by the model who carries her own head, which is in reality obviously impossible. The head symbolises her mind, her ego. 

The  artwork is created by Edwin IJpeij, the model and the grime/makeup artist Annelies Zielman-van Oosterum.