L'œuvre en bref

Here, Nicolas de Staël focuses on an abstract construction based on repetition and density. At this point in his career, he treats the surface as a field of experimentation, without reference to any recognisable motif. The canvas becomes a space where visual rhythms are organised, achieved through the juxtaposition of thick brushstrokes and the dialogue between the background colour and the superimposed shapes.

The composition is dominated by a red background covering the entire surface. On top of this, a grid of rectangular and square shapes, painted in dark greens, blue-greys and blacks, spreads out horizontally. These strokes are applied irregularly, revealing the texture of the paint and sometimes the underlying red. The shapes vary in size and opacity, some more compact, others more faded. The whole can be read as a dense band crossing the canvas, structured by repetition and contrast.

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