Painted Stone Relief -Hand signed and numbered by Appel
Karel Appel’s Floating Family (1976) is a vibrant painted stone relief that exemplifies his bold and expressive style. This circular work, hand-signed and numbered, features abstract, overlapping faces and forms that seem to emerge organically from the black background. Rendered in bright reds, blues, yellows, and greens, the figures appear interconnected, evoking a sense of unity within the chaos. The rough textures and layered shapes bring depth to the composition, creating a tactile quality that enhances its sculptural presence. Floating Family captures Appel's fascination with primal expression and the interconnectedness of human forms, transforming stone into an energetic and emotive celebration of family and togetherness.
Karel Appel (Netherlands, 1921–2006) was a co-founder of the CoBrA movement, known for his expressive, colorful paintings and sculptures. Inspired by childlike spontaneity and raw emotion, Appel used bold brushstrokes and vibrant colors to challenge conventional art forms. His works, celebrated worldwide, reflect his belief in the primal power of creativity and imagination.
StoneStone is a hard, natural material found in the ground and used for various artistic purposes, such as carving statues, creating jewelry, and assembling mosaics. Artists and rock collectors often seek out interesting stones to cut, polish, and incorporate into their artwork.
Painted Stone Relief -Hand signed and numbered by Appel
Karel Appel’s Floating Family (1976) is a vibrant painted stone relief that exemplifies his bold and expressive style. This circular work, hand-signed and numbered, features abstract, overlapping faces and forms that seem to emerge organically from the black background. Rendered in bright reds, blues, yellows, and greens, the figures appear interconnected, evoking a sense of unity within the chaos. The rough textures and layered shapes bring depth to the composition, creating a tactile quality that enhances its sculptural presence. Floating Family captures Appel's fascination with primal expression and the interconnectedness of human forms, transforming stone into an energetic and emotive celebration of family and togetherness.
Karel Appel (Netherlands, 1921–2006) was a co-founder of the CoBrA movement, known for his expressive, colorful paintings and sculptures. Inspired by childlike spontaneity and raw emotion, Appel used bold brushstrokes and vibrant colors to challenge conventional art forms. His works, celebrated worldwide, reflect his belief in the primal power of creativity and imagination.
Karel Appel studied at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Amsterdam. His first solo exhibition took place in 1946 in Groningen. In the years following the end of World War Two he developed his own unique style of art, using found objects and pieces of timber in assemblages and other artworks. His earliest themes were associated with imagery of childhood, often featuring grotesque humans, monsters and animal forms. He was one of the founders of the Dutch Experimental Group in 1948, along with Guillaume Corneille and Constant Nieuwenhuys. All three artists left Amsterdam and moved to Paris, where they joined with Belgian and Danish artists to form the Cobra international art group.
Gestural art is a term that describes painting with freely sweeping brushstrokes. The primary goal of gestural art is to allow the artist to physically express emotional impulses. The varied, yet expressive paint marks are intended to convey the artist's inner thoughts and emotions, which viewers are believed to understand through the dynamic and spontaneous application of paint.