René Mels (1909-1977) - Composition abstraite 1975
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€ 34
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Selected by Giulia Couzzi
Master’s in culture and arts innovation, with a decade in 20th-21st century Italian art.
Estimate € 300 - € 380
 | €34 | |
|---|---|---|
 | €25 | |
| €20 | |
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René Mels (1909-1977) – Composition abstraite 1975, an original watercolour on paper, 40.5 × 29 cm, signed by hand, from Belgium, dated 1965, in good condition.
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Description from the seller
Payment required before the evening of October 25. No shipments possible from October 26 for nearly 3 weeks (absence).
——-
René Mels (1909-1977) – Composition – 1975 – Watercolour – Signed and dated
René Mels (1909-1977)
Watercolour on paper, 1975
Signature: Signed “R. Mels” in the lower right. Date in pencil: “75”.
Back blank, except for a few small studio marks and a small annotation.
Dimensions: 40.5 × 29 cm
Sold unframed
Condition
Beautiful sheet, light and bright tones well preserved. Paper slightly yellowed with age, a few light handling creases. No major losses visible. The recto remains clean and airy. See photos.
Description
Watercolour from 1975
The composition unfolds in broad, fluid washes layered on top of each other. Blue and green masses occupy the center and right, while violets, ochres and yellows are distributed to the left and upper areas. Brushstrokes remain visible, transparencies overlap and create depth. The white of the paper remains largely present, giving light to the whole.
The gesture is more liquid and atmospheric than in the gestural works of the 1960s: the water has worked freely, the contours merge, the colors diffuse without hardening.
It is a sheet from the final period, signed and dated, two years before Mels’s death. Horizontal format. Color noted by transparent masses, the line is discreet.
A characteristic work of the late career of Mels: soft chromatic, spontaneity of the wash, balance between suggestion of landscape and pure abstraction.
Biography
René Mels (René Meulemans, 1909-1977) trained at the Academies of Leuven (Louvain) and Brussels, then at La Cambre. After an expressionist beginning influenced by Permeke, he moved toward abstraction from 1947.
Active member of Jeune Peinture Belge (exhibitions 1947-1948 at the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Brussels), he joined the group Art abstrait in 1952 and co-founded Cap d’encre in 1963.
His work is characterized by a concern for construction, a supple writing style and expressive chromaticism. In 1950, a state grant enabled him to work at Atelier 17 of Stanley William Hayter in Paris.
His watercolors, etchings, pastels and paintings are included in numerous public Belgian and international collections, notably the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium.
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 TranslatePayment required before the evening of October 25. No shipments possible from October 26 for nearly 3 weeks (absence).
——-
René Mels (1909-1977) – Composition – 1975 – Watercolour – Signed and dated
René Mels (1909-1977)
Watercolour on paper, 1975
Signature: Signed “R. Mels” in the lower right. Date in pencil: “75”.
Back blank, except for a few small studio marks and a small annotation.
Dimensions: 40.5 × 29 cm
Sold unframed
Condition
Beautiful sheet, light and bright tones well preserved. Paper slightly yellowed with age, a few light handling creases. No major losses visible. The recto remains clean and airy. See photos.
Description
Watercolour from 1975
The composition unfolds in broad, fluid washes layered on top of each other. Blue and green masses occupy the center and right, while violets, ochres and yellows are distributed to the left and upper areas. Brushstrokes remain visible, transparencies overlap and create depth. The white of the paper remains largely present, giving light to the whole.
The gesture is more liquid and atmospheric than in the gestural works of the 1960s: the water has worked freely, the contours merge, the colors diffuse without hardening.
It is a sheet from the final period, signed and dated, two years before Mels’s death. Horizontal format. Color noted by transparent masses, the line is discreet.
A characteristic work of the late career of Mels: soft chromatic, spontaneity of the wash, balance between suggestion of landscape and pure abstraction.
Biography
René Mels (René Meulemans, 1909-1977) trained at the Academies of Leuven (Louvain) and Brussels, then at La Cambre. After an expressionist beginning influenced by Permeke, he moved toward abstraction from 1947.
Active member of Jeune Peinture Belge (exhibitions 1947-1948 at the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Brussels), he joined the group Art abstrait in 1952 and co-founded Cap d’encre in 1963.
His work is characterized by a concern for construction, a supple writing style and expressive chromaticism. In 1950, a state grant enabled him to work at Atelier 17 of Stanley William Hayter in Paris.
His watercolors, etchings, pastels and paintings are included in numerous public Belgian and international collections, notably the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium.
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
Sold with frame
No
Sold by
Owner or reseller
Edition
Original
Artist
René Mels (1909-1977)
Title of artwork
Composition abstraite 1975
Technique
Watercolour painting
Signature
Hand signed
Country of origin
Belgium
Year
1965
Condition
Good condition
Height
29 cm
Width
40.5 cm
Style
Abstract
Period
1960-1970
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