René Mels ( 1909-1977) - Grande composition abstraite à l’encre vers 1955

Artist René Mels (1909–1977) – Belgium
Abstract composition
Ink on paper
Dimensions: 63 × 48.5 cm
Date: around 1955
Signature: Sign here at the bottom right.

State: Very good condition, with slight signs of aging inherent to the age of the piece, small visible stains.

Framing: Sold without supervision

Description of the work

This large ink abstract composition, created around 1955, represents a work of very high quality execution, revealing René Mels' full technical mastery during his abstract period.

The format, ample for a paper artwork, gives the composition a strong presence and immediate readability of the gesture.

The ink is used with remarkable precision: deep blacks, perfectly controlled, alternate with subtle washes and wiped areas that reveal the texture of the paper.

This variety of treatments demonstrates confident control of the medium, where each intervention appears deliberate and thoughtful, without ever losing the vitality of the gesture.

The fine lines, sometimes almost calligraphic, intertwine with denser masses, creating a complex and balanced internal structure. The superposition of registers – flat areas, smudges, light strokes – reveals a rigorous construction hidden beneath an apparent spontaneity, a sign of an artist reaching maturity.

Quality of execution and technical mastery

A careful examination of the details highlights a particularly meticulous execution, rare in ink works of this scope. The transitions between saturated black and diluted gray are smooth, without abrupt breaks, demonstrating a perfect understanding of drying times and ink reactions on paper.

Paper is never treated as a mere support: it becomes an active element of the composition, used as a reserve of light and as a space of breathing. This subtle interaction between material, gesture, and support gives the work a lasting depth and visual richness.

Artistic context

By the mid-1950s, René Mels established himself as a confirmed figure in post-war Belgian abstraction. During this period, his work on paper reached a high level of rigor, where ink became an autonomous medium, capable of rivaling the intensity and complexity of canvas painting.
This work fully embodies this phase of maturity, illustrating an abstraction that is both gestural and structured, where the quality of execution enhances the coherence and expressive strength of the composition.

Interest of the work

Due to its format, condition, and especially the exceptional quality of its execution, this abstract composition represents a particularly accomplished example of René Mels's work around 1955. It is a prized piece for a collector or an enlightened enthusiast of post-war abstraction, both for its artistic qualities and for its place in the artist's evolution.

This work combines technical mastery, formal balance, and gestural intensity, clearly demonstrating the high level achieved by René Mels in his abstract production on paper.

Biography of René Mels (1909–1977)

Born in Herent-lez-Louvain, René Mels studied at the Leuven Academy, then in Brussels, before continuing his studies at La Cambre. An important figure in the Belgian post-war art scene, he was a member of the Jeune Peinture belge and the Art Abstrait group.
His work gradually evolves from expressionism and structured figuration to a refined abstraction, based on the balance between constructive rigor and chromatic sensitivity. He passed away in 1977 in Woluwe-Saint-Lambert, leaving a body of work recognized for its coherence and poetic depth.