Marcus de Vestele (1941-2024) - Composition Cobra
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Marcus de Vestele – Composition Cobra, a 1975 watercolor on paper (41 × 31 cm), original edition, hand-signed, depicting a Cobra-style portrait, sold with a natural wood frame.
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Description from the seller
Marcus de Vestele – Cobra Composition – Watercolor on paper – circa 1975
Artist: Marcus de Vestele (1941–2024) – Belgium
Dimensions: Framed: 41 × 31 cm
Technique: Watercolour on paper
Presentation: Sold framed in an elegant natural light wood frame with a black mat
Ready to hang.
Stamp on the back: “Marcus de Vestele – Atelier de l’artiste” (official atelier stamp, visible in photo).
Condition: Very good overall. Paper slightly yellowed in a uniform manner, typical of watercolors from this period.
Frame and mat in excellent condition.
Provenance: Artist’s studio collection
Period: Circa 1975
Description
Powerful Cobra watercolor by Marcus de Vestele, dating from the mid-1970s. On a light beige background, a large bright yellow field dominates the left side, crossed by abstract and geometric shapes (circles, triangles).
On the right stands a stylized blue and black anthropomorphic figure, with spontaneous and expressive graphic qualities typical of the Cobra spirit: a hybrid, almost totemic silhouette with an expressive head and a dynamic posture.
The gesture is swift and free, the colors contrast (vivid yellow against deep blue and black), the forms are simplified and charged with raw energy. This work embodies the essence of the Cobra movement: instinctive vitality, primitive poetry and expressive freedom.
Biography
Marcus de Vestele (1941–2024), from Brussels, is a major figure of Belgian contemporary art. Internationally recognized for his monumental abstract marble sculptures (notably from Carrara), he also developed a secret and intense pictorial practice.
His paintings, gouaches and watercolors, often inspired by Cobra and created in the 1970s, were never exhibited while he was alive. Kept in a secret studio, nearly 200 pictorial works were discovered by his family after his death in 2024.
This revelation offers a new and fascinating perspective on his creative universe, where painting and sculpture converse in a unified pursuit of expressive, colorful, and gestural freedom.
His watercolors, long unseen, attest to a great freshness, constant inventiveness and instinctive freedom that beautifully complements his sculpted oeuvre.
Seller's Story
About SR Fine Art
With nearly 28 years of experience in the art market, I am passionate about rediscovering artists’ studios and bringing their works to a wide audience on Catawiki.
I specialize in Belgian and European modern and contemporary art. My flagship collection is the studio archive of Robert Detheux (nearly 1,500 works on paper). I also offer surrealist drawings, beautiful abstract paintings from the 1950s, magnificent nude photographs by Michel Pinel, contemporary paintings, Cobra compositions, and works by Marcus de Vestele, Gundi Falk, René Mels, Eugène Eechaut and many others.
From intimate drawings to large formats, there is something for every taste and every budget. The vast majority of my auctions start at 1 € with no reserve price, giving everyone the chance to acquire unique pieces.
Every shipment is prepared with the utmost care using professional museum-quality packaging to ensure perfect condition upon arrival.
Join my growing community of satisfied clients and follow my new auctions to discover rare works from these exceptional studios.
Thank you for your trust and happy bidding!
SR Fine Art
Translated by Google TranslateMarcus de Vestele – Cobra Composition – Watercolor on paper – circa 1975
Artist: Marcus de Vestele (1941–2024) – Belgium
Dimensions: Framed: 41 × 31 cm
Technique: Watercolour on paper
Presentation: Sold framed in an elegant natural light wood frame with a black mat
Ready to hang.
Stamp on the back: “Marcus de Vestele – Atelier de l’artiste” (official atelier stamp, visible in photo).
Condition: Very good overall. Paper slightly yellowed in a uniform manner, typical of watercolors from this period.
Frame and mat in excellent condition.
Provenance: Artist’s studio collection
Period: Circa 1975
Description
Powerful Cobra watercolor by Marcus de Vestele, dating from the mid-1970s. On a light beige background, a large bright yellow field dominates the left side, crossed by abstract and geometric shapes (circles, triangles).
On the right stands a stylized blue and black anthropomorphic figure, with spontaneous and expressive graphic qualities typical of the Cobra spirit: a hybrid, almost totemic silhouette with an expressive head and a dynamic posture.
The gesture is swift and free, the colors contrast (vivid yellow against deep blue and black), the forms are simplified and charged with raw energy. This work embodies the essence of the Cobra movement: instinctive vitality, primitive poetry and expressive freedom.
Biography
Marcus de Vestele (1941–2024), from Brussels, is a major figure of Belgian contemporary art. Internationally recognized for his monumental abstract marble sculptures (notably from Carrara), he also developed a secret and intense pictorial practice.
His paintings, gouaches and watercolors, often inspired by Cobra and created in the 1970s, were never exhibited while he was alive. Kept in a secret studio, nearly 200 pictorial works were discovered by his family after his death in 2024.
This revelation offers a new and fascinating perspective on his creative universe, where painting and sculpture converse in a unified pursuit of expressive, colorful, and gestural freedom.
His watercolors, long unseen, attest to a great freshness, constant inventiveness and instinctive freedom that beautifully complements his sculpted oeuvre.
Seller's Story
About SR Fine Art
With nearly 28 years of experience in the art market, I am passionate about rediscovering artists’ studios and bringing their works to a wide audience on Catawiki.
I specialize in Belgian and European modern and contemporary art. My flagship collection is the studio archive of Robert Detheux (nearly 1,500 works on paper). I also offer surrealist drawings, beautiful abstract paintings from the 1950s, magnificent nude photographs by Michel Pinel, contemporary paintings, Cobra compositions, and works by Marcus de Vestele, Gundi Falk, René Mels, Eugène Eechaut and many others.
From intimate drawings to large formats, there is something for every taste and every budget. The vast majority of my auctions start at 1 € with no reserve price, giving everyone the chance to acquire unique pieces.
Every shipment is prepared with the utmost care using professional museum-quality packaging to ensure perfect condition upon arrival.
Join my growing community of satisfied clients and follow my new auctions to discover rare works from these exceptional studios.
Thank you for your trust and happy bidding!
SR Fine Art
Translated by Google TranslateDetails
Artist
Marcus de Vestele (1941-2024)
Sold with frame
Yes
Sold by
Owner or reseller
Edition
Original
Title of artwork
Composition Cobra
Technique
Watercolour painting
Signature
Hand signed
Country of origin
Belgium
Year
1975
Condition
Good condition
Height
31 cm
Width
41 cm
Depiction/theme
Portrait
Style
Cobra
Period
1970-1980
Sold by
