Ralf Altrieth - Sans titre - XL

Acrylic on strong paper, ivory tone
75 x 105 cm (with white margins), 70 x 100 cm (without margins: see note below)

Signed and dated on the back by the artist
Certificate of authenticity signed by Ralf Altrieth

DESCRIPTION:

A bustling universe where the imagination seems to come to life before our eyes.

On paper, Ralf Altrieth unfolds here a world populated by strange creatures, fragmented figures, mischievous gazes and shapes that appear to emerge freely from one another. Nothing is entirely defined, yet each appearing element has its own character. The eye moves from one character to another, discovers a detail, a gaze, a silhouette — then returns, as if drawn to a new presence.

The acrylic, applied in strokes, flat areas, lines and spontaneous gestures, blends with color superimpositions and material transfers that enrich the surface of the paper. The bright colors intersect and respond to each other, while the white spaces give the whole a particular breath. The composition seems free and instinctive, but it is threaded with a true sense of rhythm and balance.

Between drawing, painting and graphic writing, the work unfolds a living poetry: it first attracts with its energy and colors, then holds the gaze with the multitude of details that gradually appear. It never reveals itself completely at first glance.

Framed with a wide matte, the painting takes on its full dimension and naturally finds its place in a contemporary interior, where its free and distinctive character provides an artistic presence that is both expressive and playful.

At the border between free figuration, instinctive drawing and abstraction, this series bears witness to a deeply personal approach by Ralf Altrieth: a painting without apparent rules, where imagination, humor and gesture meet with communicative freedom.

CRITIQUE:

"There is a lot of poetry in this painting, as in all the artist’s works. They are populated by narrative codes and fantastical tales. In this sense, the painterly poems of Ralf Altrieth are a pure childish chant... But the most astonishing thing manifested in these paintings is a communicative tenderness for the states of mind of the human being."
— Dr. Friedhelm Häring, museum director and art historian

"His writing by gesture and color describes a world open to new voices and experiences never attempted. His canvases and works on paper demonstrate that painting remains a major expression of the contemporary scene."
— Laurent Puech, art historian and curator

BIOGRAPHY:

Ralf Altrieth (Heilbronn, 1966) is a Franco-German painter and musician recognized for his expressive and spontaneous universe, at the boundary of figuration and abstraction. Trained in adolescence with painter Georg Schaible and later at the Academy of Fine Arts in Nürtingen at the end of the 1980s, his work is distinguished by rare pictorial energy and a particularly sensitive language. His works are today held in numerous private collections around the world.

NOTE ABOUT MARGINS:
The outer margins of the paper show some marks related to the removal of masking tape. They are completely normal and occur only on the unpainted areas. They will be masked by the matting if you choose that method, or can be removed by cutting the work from 75 × 105 cm to 70 × 100 cm (see situational visuals). A pencil line makes it easy to identify the limit. Your local framer can take care of it easily.

SHIPPING:

The work will be shipped rolled in a solid tube to ensure safe transport.
It is entrusted to an express carrier delivering to the home with full tracking and signature on delivery, to guarantee the best protection of the work until it is handed over in person.

Note: The situational images are presentation suggestions created with AI based on photos of the actual work. Photos of the real item take precedence (close-ups, whole work, photo of the back and profile). The tones may vary slightly depending on your screen’s color profile.