René Mels (1909-1977) - Composition abstraite

Descriptive sheet

* Artist: René Mels (1909–1977) Belgian School
Abstract composition
Era: 1960s
* Technique: Watercolor and wash on paper

* Dimensions at a glance: 30 × 19 cm
* Dimensions with the original mat: 46 × 35 cm

* Signature: Artist's monogram in the bottom right

* Condition: Very good condition
Unframed sale

* Provenance: Private collection

Description of the work

The composition rests on an entanglement of free forms and fluid tracings, characteristic of René Mels’s exploration of the plastic arts in the 1960s. The curved lines structure space while leaving room for wash areas that are more diffuse, creating a constant dialogue between graphic density and visual breathing.
The color palette combines warm ochres, muted violets, and dark accents, balanced by light reserves of paper. The transparency of the watercolor gives the whole a subtle depth, while the layering of brushstrokes conveys a restrained energy, mastered by a rigorous construction.

Artistic context

In the 1960s, René Mels fully asserts his abstract language. The line becomes an autonomous element, bearing rhythm and internal tension, while color acts as a sensitive field that modulates space. The works on paper from this period testify to a great freedom of execution, aided by rapid and direct techniques.

This watercolor participates in that dynamic, revealing a brushwork that is at once spontaneous and controlled, emblematic of Mels's artistic maturity.

Biographical notice

René Mels (1909–1977) was a major figure in Belgian abstraction of the 20th century. Trained at the academies of Leuven and Brussels, and then at La Cambre, he evolved from an initial expressionism toward a constructed abstraction, centred on line, rhythm and light.
Member of the Jeune Peinture belge and of the group Art Abstrait, he actively participates in the renewal of post-war pictorial language. His work, at once demanding and sensitive, is characterized by a constant search for balance between structure and freedom.

Appreciation

This abstract watercolor from the 1960s is a high-quality piece, representative of René Mels's mature work on paper. The presence of the monogram in the bottom right, the chromatic harmony, and the rhythmic tension of the composition make it a work particularly attractive for collectors of Belgian abstraction and enthusiasts of works on paper.