Bidspirit auction | Antoni Clave ”Peintre Hollandais” Oil

Antoni Clave ”Peintre Hollandais” Oil Painting - Antoni Clave (Spanish, 1913-2005). Oil on canvas painting titled ”Peintre Hollandais, ” 1952. Signed along the lower right. Lot Essay: Antoni Clave was a renowned painter, sculptor, and set designer, often associated with the Spanish Surrealist and Expressionist movements. Known for his rich textures and dynamic compositions, his works frequently incorporated collage and abstracted figures, and his artistry extended to theatre and film, showcasing his multifaceted creativity. Born in Barcelona on April 5, 1913, Clave began attending evening courses in 1926 at the Escuela de Artes y Oficios ”Llotja, ” the same school Picasso and Miro had attended in their youth. The following year, one of his teachers helped him secure a position as a house painter's apprentice, a role that fed his growing fascination with the hands-on nature of painting, especially the materials involved, such as learning to prepare paints himself. During the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939), Clave served as a draughtsman for the Republican government before being forced to flee to France. Throughout the 1940s, his work bore the stylistic influence of Bonnard and Vuillard, until a 1944 meeting with fellow Spanish expatriate Pablo Picasso marked a pivotal turning point in his style. Clave remained forever grateful for the encounter, and he cherished his lifelong friendship with the man he affectionately called ”Don Pablo.” From 1946 onward, Clave created numerous designs for ballet and theatre productions in Paris, Munich, London, and New York, and by the 1950s he had also turned to book illustration. His work on the 1952 film ”Hans Christian Andersen” earned him two Academy Award nominations, for Best Art Direction and Best Costume Design. Today, his art is held in major museum collections around the world, including the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, the Tate Gallery in London, the Museum of Modern Art in Paris, the Museum of Modern Art in Tokyo, and the British Museum in London. Unframed; height: 38 in x width: 51 1/4 in. Framed; height: 39 in x width: 52 in x depth: 1 1/2 in. Condition: The colors are bold and deep. There are no tears or losses. There is a thick varnish along the work; due to the varnish, it is difficult to discern whether there are areas of restoration. Soiling along the verso. Some wear to the frame, including light separation to the joints, scuffs, and scratches. Not inspected out of frame.