Jean Paul Riopelle
Sans titre
1977
A vibrant and dynamic abstract composition, this untitled oil on canvas exemplifies Riopelle's signature mosaic-like technique, in which richly textured paint is applied with a palette knife to create a dense, interlocking tapestry of color. Bold, fragmented strokes in deep jewel tones and earthy hues collide and overlap across the surface, evoking the raw energy of the natural world. The work reflects Riopelle's connection to both the Automatiste movement and the gestural freedom of Abstract Expressionism, demonstrating his masterful command of paint as both material and emotion.
- Medium
- oil on canvas
- Dimensions
- Signed
- Yes
- Spotted At
- Auction House · Christie's
Notes
LITERATURE Y. Riopelle et T. Riopelle, Jean Paul Riopelle, Catalogue raisonné, 1972-1979, Tome V, Montréal, 2020, No. 1977.182H.1977 (illustré en couleurs p. 234; illustré à l'envers). FURTHER DETAILS L’authenticité de cette œuvre a été confirmée par Madame Yseult Riopelle. Conditions of sale Brought to you by Elisabetta Vitullo Junior Specialist, Head of Day Sale EVITULLO@CHRISTIES.COM +33 (0)1 40 76 85 68
🔨 Auction Lot
Art Contemporain
Lot 294
More by Jean Paul Riopelle
Artists in conversation
Nicolas de Staël
French-Russian · b. 1914
De Staël similarly built up dense, mosaic-like surfaces using a palette knife with richly textured impasto, creating interlocking fragments of jewel-toned and earthy color that balance gestural energy with structured abstraction.
Pierre Soulages
French · b. 1919
A close contemporary of Riopelle within European lyrical abstraction, Soulages applied paint with palette knives and scrapers to create heavily textured, dynamic surfaces where bold strokes collide with raw material energy.
Hans Hartung
German-French · b. 1904
Hartung shared Riopelle's commitment to gestural, non-figurative abstraction with vibrant, energetic mark-making and a lyrical spontaneity that evokes natural forces, positioning him within the same mid-century tachiste and gestural abstraction tradition.
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