Jef Lambrecht

During the 1990s George Smits paints a series of self portraits. With this he consciously associates himself with an ancient tradition in painting. This almost obsessive form of introspection is a common theme in Smits' work, long before he had become truly acquainted with his historical predecessors. 

The cartoon character Jan is his alter ego and his stamp Koppeke is a disguised self-portrait. He includes implicite facial features in many of his paintings. The mood ranges from inquisitive to threatening and dark to silly or clownish.