René Mels ( 1909-1977) - Composition rythmique vers 1950

This paper work by René Mels, created in the 1950s, testifies to an essential phase of his career, marked by an in-depth reflection on line, structure, and the organization of space. It is part of a constructed abstraction, where drawing becomes a tool for analysis and composition as much as a means of expression.
Descriptive sheet

Artist: René Mels (1909–1977) Belgium
School: Belgium
Abstract composition
Dating: 1950s
Technique: Ink on paper.
Dimensions: 31.5 × 24.5 cm
Signed at the bottom right
Unframed sale
Provenance: Private collection

Condition of preservation

General condition: Good condition
Remarks: Well-preserved paper, stable ink, with no major visible alterations, a pinhole at the top.

Description of the work

The composition is characterized by a rigorous and architecturally structured construction, based on a complex network of straight, oblique, and curved lines. The traces, sometimes repeated and superimposed, organize space into successive planes and create zones of varying density, emphasizing depth and visual rhythm.

The exclusive use of ink highlights the precision of the drawing and the quality of the gesture. Linear patterns create effects of vibration and tension, while certain shapes suggest volumes or structures in elevation. The overall evokes a mental architecture or a constructed interior space, without explicit figurative reference.

Artistic context

In the 1950s, René Mels engaged in in-depth research on the structuring of abstract space. The line became a fundamental element of his artistic vocabulary, serving both as a formal skeleton and an energy vector. This work illustrates a period during which the artist explored the balance between the spontaneity of gesture and the rigor of composition, foreshadowing some of the more synthetic directions of his later work.

Artist Biography

Born in Herent-lez-Louvain in 1909, René Mels trained at the academies of Louvain and Brussels, then at La Cambre. He was a member of the Jeune Peinture belge and the Art Abstrait group, actively participating in the renewal of Belgian painting after World War II. His work evolved from an initial expressionism towards increasingly structured and inward abstraction, where line and composition play a central role. He passed away in 1977 in Woluwe-Saint-Lambert.

This paper work from the 1950s is a representative example of René Mels' graphic and structured period. Due to its formal coherence, quality of drawing, and clear historical grounding, it is a relevant piece for collectors of Belgian abstraction of the 20th century.