Corneille (1922-2010) - La femme et l’oiseau

'La femme et l’oiseau' (1992) is an original work by Corneille, executed in mixed technique on paper. The piece is signed in the lower left and beautifully framed in a gold baroque frame, which adds to the work's presence. The total size with the frame measures 60 × 55 cm, while the image itself is 15 × 18 cm. The work is in good condition and comes from a private collection. A characteristic and expressive example of Corneille’s poetic visual language.


Corneille, co-founder of the Cobra movement (1948–1951), is one of the most renowned post-war artists from the Netherlands. His work was characterized by spontaneous expression, rich use of color, and symbolic representations of women, birds, cats, and tropical landscapes. After the Cobra period, he developed a consistent personal visual language filled with cheerful, poetic, and sometimes mythical motifs.

Corneille in the 1990s
In the 1990s — including 1992 — Corneille was in a mature, fully crystallized phase of his oeuvre. Many of his works from this period show:

Bright, contrasting colors that give the composition strength and immediacy.

Stylized female figures and birds, often in an harmonious and symbolic interplay.

Decorative and graphic elements, sometimes built up almost rhythmically.

An optimistic, playful visual language, clearly showcasing his fascination with female forms, nature, and distant cultures.

During this period, Corneille worked extensively on paper alongside canvas, often using mixed techniques that combined drawing, painting, and graphic accents. His style became more refined but remained true to the spontaneous, lyrical energy for which he was internationally appreciated.