René Mels ( 1909-1977) - Composition abstraite
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René Mels, Composition abstraite, a 1965 lithograph with embossing on paper, signed in pencil, edition 17/50 of an original edition of 50, in good condition, Belgium.
AI-assisted summary
Description from the seller
Artist: René Mels (1909–1977) Belgium
Abstract Composition
Date: Around 1965
Lithography with embossing on paper.
Dimensions: 60 cm × 47 cm (dimensions with passe-partout)
Limited edition of 50 copies
Numbered copy 17/50
Signature
Handwritten signature with a pencil.
State
Good overall condition
Presence of small imperfections and slight discolorations, visible in the attached photographs, consistent with the age and nature of the print.
Presentation
Sold with its original period passe-partout.
Unframed
Description of the work
Abstract composition presents itself as a print with a strong material presence, built around a circular and dynamic movement, reinforced by pronounced embossing. The relief structures the surface of the paper and introduces a rhythmic, almost architectural reading of space.
The composition combines dark areas with dense, mineral textures and luminous patches dominated by ochre and golden yellow tones. Organic shapes, punctuated by oval patterns and engraved signs, follow a spiral movement that suggests both progression and the concentration of energy at the center of the image.
The color, used sparingly, interacts closely with the paper's material. The light results from the interplay between hollows and reliefs, varying according to the viewing angle and giving the whole an almost sculptural dimension.
Artistic perspective presentation
Created around 1965, this lithograph fully illustrates René Mels' research on the materiality of the print during the 1960s. The use of embossing demonstrates his desire to go beyond the flatness of the printed image to explore an active and autonomous plastic space.
The balance between formal rigor and gestural freedom reflects a controlled abstraction, characteristic of its mature production, situated at the crossroads of painting, printmaking, and an architectural conception of space.
Biographical notice
René Mels (1909–1977), born in Herent-lez-Louvain and died in Woluwe-Saint-Lambert, is a major figure in Belgian abstraction after the war. Trained notably in Louvain, Brussels, and at La Cambre, he actively participated in the renewal of plastic practices from the 1950s onward.
His work evolves from structured figuration to rigorous abstraction, based on light, matter, and the organization of space. Printmaking plays an essential role, conceived as a true field of experimentation.
Conclusion
This embossed lithograph, Abstract Composition (circa 1965), signed and numbered 17/50, is a representative and sought-after example of René Mels' work on relief and light in printmaking. Sold with its original passe-partout, it holds particular interest for collectors and enthusiasts of post-war abstraction, who are sensitive to the plastic research conducted in the 1960s around matter and surface.
Artist: René Mels (1909–1977) Belgium
Abstract Composition
Date: Around 1965
Lithography with embossing on paper.
Dimensions: 60 cm × 47 cm (dimensions with passe-partout)
Limited edition of 50 copies
Numbered copy 17/50
Signature
Handwritten signature with a pencil.
State
Good overall condition
Presence of small imperfections and slight discolorations, visible in the attached photographs, consistent with the age and nature of the print.
Presentation
Sold with its original period passe-partout.
Unframed
Description of the work
Abstract composition presents itself as a print with a strong material presence, built around a circular and dynamic movement, reinforced by pronounced embossing. The relief structures the surface of the paper and introduces a rhythmic, almost architectural reading of space.
The composition combines dark areas with dense, mineral textures and luminous patches dominated by ochre and golden yellow tones. Organic shapes, punctuated by oval patterns and engraved signs, follow a spiral movement that suggests both progression and the concentration of energy at the center of the image.
The color, used sparingly, interacts closely with the paper's material. The light results from the interplay between hollows and reliefs, varying according to the viewing angle and giving the whole an almost sculptural dimension.
Artistic perspective presentation
Created around 1965, this lithograph fully illustrates René Mels' research on the materiality of the print during the 1960s. The use of embossing demonstrates his desire to go beyond the flatness of the printed image to explore an active and autonomous plastic space.
The balance between formal rigor and gestural freedom reflects a controlled abstraction, characteristic of its mature production, situated at the crossroads of painting, printmaking, and an architectural conception of space.
Biographical notice
René Mels (1909–1977), born in Herent-lez-Louvain and died in Woluwe-Saint-Lambert, is a major figure in Belgian abstraction after the war. Trained notably in Louvain, Brussels, and at La Cambre, he actively participated in the renewal of plastic practices from the 1950s onward.
His work evolves from structured figuration to rigorous abstraction, based on light, matter, and the organization of space. Printmaking plays an essential role, conceived as a true field of experimentation.
Conclusion
This embossed lithograph, Abstract Composition (circa 1965), signed and numbered 17/50, is a representative and sought-after example of René Mels' work on relief and light in printmaking. Sold with its original passe-partout, it holds particular interest for collectors and enthusiasts of post-war abstraction, who are sensitive to the plastic research conducted in the 1960s around matter and surface.
Details
Artist
René Mels ( 1909-1977)
Sold by
Owner or reseller
Edition
Original
Title of artwork
Composition abstraite
Technique
Etching
Signature
Hand signed
Country of Origin
Belgium
Year
1965
Condition
Good condition
Height
60 cm
Width
47 cm
Style
Abstract
Period
1960-1970
Sold with frame
No
Sold by
