Karel Appel - Karel Appel - Lithograph, signed m.o. (with certificate) - Sold

Anyone thinking of the work of Karel Appel (1921-2006) envisions vibrant colors, strong contour lines, and seemingly simple forms. Yet, the development of this famous and colorful Dutch artist also has a side beyond the 1950s and CoBrA with which he is often associated. Appel experimented, pushed boundaries, and continued to innovate his work well into old age. From early playful and childlike depictions to his later sculptures, in which he combined painting with found objects, his style and materials frequently changed. Also characteristic of Karel Appel is that he collaborated early on with artists from other disciplines, such as poets, musicians, and choreographers. In Jan Vrijman's well-known 1961 documentary, Karel Appel is portrayed as a ferocious painter's beast who appears to be in a battle with the canvas, sweating and growling. Spontaneously and purely driven by his instincts, Appel sweeps and hurls paint onto the canvas. He seems to manipulate the audience by deliberately presenting a cliché of the wild, romantic artist. His famous statement, ‘I just mess around,’ is taken too literally and causes a great deal of controversy in the Netherlands. Appel paints expressively and spontaneously, but works more meticulously than he lets on. He chooses his tools and paint with care, makes preliminary sketches, and draws his inspiration from art history. He thoroughly studies the work of Rembrandt, Van Gogh, Picasso, and Mondrian. His artworks prove to be well-thought-out compositions.