Frank Stella – Biography, Artistic Movement & Legacy
May 29, 2023
When it comes to colorful and somewhat abstract works of art, Karel Appel should be on your radar as an artist that pushed boundaries and left an indelible mark on the world.
Appel started his artistic career early and helped redefine what people thought art could be. Even after he died in 2006, Appel is still inspiring new generations to reach higher and be bolder with their work.
So, let’s pay tribute to the man by learning about his life and artistic experiences.
Karel Appel was born in 1921 in Amsterdam, and his full legal name was Christiaan Karel Appel.
During his school-age years, many kids called him “Kik” for short. Appel was born to parents Jan and Johanna.
Jan owned and operated a local barbershop, while Johanna mainly focused on raising Appel and his three brothers.
Appel’s penchant for art started at age 14 when he painted a still life of a fruit basket. A year later, his uncle Karel gifted him a paint set and easel.
To complete the gift, Karel the elder also taught his nephew how to put the items to good use.
Appel was either lucky or unfortunate to get an art education during the Second World War. On the one hand, he had to flee the German police to avoid getting sent to build weapons at the local factory.
His parents were also unsupportive of his career choice, so Appel didn’t have much of a safety net when he decided to pursue art full-time.
On the other hand, the timing meant that Appel learned about art when such instruction was forbidden.
Hence, artists pushed against the Gestapo by experimenting and pushing art into wild new directions. In this environment, Appel thrived, making him an apt pioneer of the CoBrA Art Movement (more on that next).
During the German occupation of the Netherlands, Appel studied art at Rijksakademie van Beeldende Kunsten in Amsterdam.
During his tenure there, he met the young painters Corneille and Constant. He formed lifelong friendships with both artists, and they would all go on to participate in CoBrA.
In 1946, after the war ended, Appel held his first show in Groningen. While his work was relatively appreciated, it wasn’t until 1949 that Appel put himself on the map.
Although this movement was short-lived, it struck a chord within the art community and has had a lasting and profound impact on artists since.
The name CoBrA was an amalgamation of the hometowns of the founding members – Copenhagen, Brussels, and Amsterdam. To reflect this new portmanteau, the group labeled themselves CobrA.
Six members founded the movement, including Karel Appel, Constant, Corneille, Joseph Noiret, Asger Jorn, and Christian Dortremont.
Dortremont is the one who drafted the group’s manifesto, titled “La cause était entendue” (“The Case Was Settled”).
This name was a play on a similar manifesto written by Revolutionary Surrealists in 1947. Their cause was titled “La cause est entendue” (The Case Is Settled).
CoBrA was founded as a direct response to modern surrealism and abstraction. The founding artists felt that the establishment was too strict and authoritarian, which was antithetical to the idea of artistic expression.
Who’s to say what’s “surreal” or “abstract?” The point of these genres is to push boundaries and limits, so why were scholars teaching these genres with such rigid structures?
Many CoBrA pieces focused on the method of art production rather than the imagery. So, artwork utilized visceral and tactile methods along with bold coloration and simplistic designs.
Part of the inspiration for the movement was children’s art since children are not constrained by the “correct” ways of doing things. A child simply creates for the pure joy of creation, and CoBrA wanted to capture that essence and remind artists everywhere of that feeling.
As with any revolutionary movement, CoBrA was controversial at the time. Since the group aimed to push against the establishment, it pushed right back.
Many CoBrA shows were ridiculed for being too simple and child-like, with critics leaving scathing reviews.
Obviously, they were all missing the point, but that didn’t stop many critics from labeling CoBrA members as “scribblers” and “con artists.”
Even with a name change in 1949 to the more official “Internationale des Artistes Expérimentaux,” the movement only lasted until 1951.
However, in that short period, CoBrA managed to attract members globally and achieve its core objective of opening minds and revitalizing the raw passion for art creation.
No longer were artists held to rigid standards and rules. Now, they could create from their hearts and minds, and nothing was off-limits. Even after the group disbanded in 1951, many stayed close friends throughout the decades.
Before he died, Apple created the Karel Appel Foundation. The Foundation’s mission statement is:
“To preserve [Appel’s] artworks, to promote public awareness and knowledge of Karel Appel’s oeuvre, and to supervise the publication of the Oeuvre Catalogue of the paintings, the works on paper, and the sculptures.”
Since Appel death in 2006, the Foundation has acted as his estate and helped ensure Appel’s continuing legacy in the art world.
Appel died at home in Zurich, Switzerland, from a heart ailment. He was buried in Paris, France.
Learning about an artist requires more than just discovering information about his life and death.
All artists leave pieces of themselves in their work, so the best way to understand Appel is to look at some of his more well-known artworks. Here are four of them, which are available for purchase.
This painted wood sculpture is one of eight identical pieces depicting a dog jumping through a hoop. This imagery is both playful and energetic, making it a delightful centerpiece for any room.
At 40 by 25 inches, this artwork is relatively large, so one must plan accordingly.
Here we have another wooden piece, a relief carving of a figure playing a guitar or banjo.
As you can see, this piece also has a child-like quality to it, a hallmark of Appel’s work. This figure harkens back to Appel’s CoBrA days as it gives the impression of simpler times.
Appel created several cat pieces, and each one is done in a very impressionist way. While the figure is decidedly cat-like, the strokes are obvious and intentional, much like a child’s finger painting.
Yet, even with such simplistic detail, the cat’s frightened expression is quite noticeable.
Like the Frightened Cat, this piece uses impressionist painting styles to depict another feisty feline. The “blue” in the title refers to the background, not the cat’s demeanor.
If we had to guess, this cat looks displeased or bemused, as if its owner is trying to get it to play with a toy.
One Cent Life is one of the most beautifully conceived artistic publications of the 1960s, unlike anything published before or since.
Published in 1964, it has now become a rare book because of its incredible artwork.
The album was a compact visual manifesto from the sixties–bright, psychedelic, and pulsating (a collaboration of artists who came together under Walasse Ting’s poetic street magic).
Twenty-eight artists illustrated the pages of the volume with sixty-two original lithographs. Walesse Ting recounted the genesis of the compilation:
“I wrote 61 poems in ’61 in a small black room like coffin, inside room only salami, whisky…photographs from Times Square …no cookbook, no telephone book, no checkbook. Two short fingers, typing talking about World & Garbage, You & I, Egg & Earth.” – Walasse Ting
These artworks are a part of the One Cent Life collection. Appel’s compositions have the appearance of wild abstract figures.
Just like his early work, One Cent Life canvases utilized violent expressionism, which made them look like they were done in a rage.
Karel Appel used vibrant primary colors and fierce brushstrokes in these thickly impasto paintings.
View our currently available works of art by Karel Appel or contact us at Dane Fine Art for assistance. We are happy to answer any questions and help you find the artwork you are looking for.
Showroom
2320 Haverford Road
Ardmore PA 19003
Showroom
2320 Haverford Road
Ardmore PA 19003
Showroom 2320 Haverford Road
Ardmore PA 19003
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