Silvin Bronkart (1915-1967) - Grande composition abstraite

This 1955 work sits in the full maturity of Silvin Bronkart and reflects his decisive commitment within the post-war Liège avant-garde. A foundational figure of Walloon modernity, he was one of the founding members of the group “Reality Cobra,” actively contributing to the diffusion of a renewed plastic language in Belgium.

Descriptive sheet

Artist: Silvin Bronkart (1915–1967) – Belgium
Title: Untitled
Date: 1955
Technique: Graphite pencil on thick Steinbach paper
Dimensions: 72 × 52 cm

Inscriptions: Various artist’s handwritten annotations on the back

Provenance: Directly from the artist’s daughter

Reference: Listed in the artist’s online catalogue raisonné at the following link: https://art-info.be/oeuvres/sans-titre-3787

Framing: Sold unframed

Description
This large composition revolves around a dense network of oblique lines, interlocking planes, and internal tensions that structure space with precision. The dark masses, obtained by successive overlays of graphite, contrast with luminous reserves carefully allotted.

The exclusively monochrome treatment highlights an in-depth exploration of values and modulation. Hatching, pressure variations, and the quality of the thick Steinbach paper give the whole a subtle materiality and an architectonic presence. The balance between geometric rigour and expressive energy characterizes this artist’s period.

State of conservation
The work presents in very good overall condition.

The support remains flat and solid. The contrasts remain clear and legible. The annotations on the reverse enrich its historical and documentary interest.

Provenance and documentation
Direct provenance from the artist’s daughter guarantees clear and continuous traceability.

The inscription of the work in the online catalogue raisonné confirms its integration into Silvin Bronkart’s scientific inventory, consolidating its historical and patrimonial value.

Biography
Silvin Bronkart (1915–1967) occupies a notable place in the history of Belgian abstraction. Active mainly in Liège, he participated in the post-war artistic renewal and contributed to the rise of a particularly dynamic modernist scene in Wallonia.

Engagement in the Liège artistic movement
From the 1940s, Bronkart joined Liège avant-garde circles seeking to move beyond traditional academic frameworks. He took part in group exhibitions, intellectual exchanges, and initiatives aimed at affirming abstraction as an autonomous plastic language.

His work, especially on paper, reveals a rigorous construction of space, controlled internal tension, and a constant search for rhythm and structure. This approach contributes to the assertion of a modernity specifically Liégeois, anchored in formal exploration and experimentation.

Founding member of the group “Reality Cobra”

Silvin Bronkart is among the founding members of the group “Reality Cobra,” an artistic formation that sits in the Belgian extension and interpretation of the CoBrA spirit.

This group helps spread a liberated expression, based on the intensity of gesture, creative spontaneity, and the overcoming of formal conventions. Bronkart plays an active role, helping to structure a collective reflection on the place of abstraction and plastic expression in post-war Belgium.

Artistic positioning
His work stands out for:
- A rigorous internal architecture
- Dynamic tension of lines
- Deep mastery of values and graphic language
- A synthesis between geometric construction and expressive energy
Today, Bronkart’s work is subject to careful reevaluation within the history of Belgian abstraction. His involvement with the group “Reality Cobra” and his active participation in the Liège art movement confirm his role as a structural figure in the evolution of modernity in Belgium.

This 1955 composition fully embodies this trajectory: it combines formal rigour, graphic intensity, and historical inscription within the post-war Belgian avant-garde currents.