Karel Appel in the garden of the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam 1990s.
Introduction
In 1992 Gallery Delaive opened its first solo-exhibition of Karel Appel at Keizersgracht 467-469 in Amsterdam, showing a series of paintings Appel created in Italy and Monaco. These paintings are characteristic for work he made during his periods in the Mediterranean, influenced by the light, the serenity and the atmosphere of the South-European landscape. After a successful opening a Royal visit was made to the gallery by (then) Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, herself a great art lover.
Nico Delaive met Appel for the first time in the early 1980s through Chinese artist Walasse Ting (1929-2010), who became good friends with Appel in Paris in the 1950s, Nico got to know Appel better and they became good friends in the following years. Nico arranged a studio space for Ting to paint in at the Weteringplantsoen in Amsterdam and asked girls to model for the artist. Karel Appel and fellow CoBrA-artist Corneille (1922-2010) would often join Ting in his studio to paint together.
In 1996 Karel Appel worked on stage pieces for the operas the Zauberflöte and Noah’s Ark, in the studios of the Royal Opera in Amsterdam. Nico sometimes passed by to bring Appel herring (a Dutch delicacy) and occasionally even helped Appel painting on the decor pieces. On weekdays Appel would stop by the gallery, at its new location on the Spiegelgracht, to enjoy his favorite treat: a pastry made by Royal bakery Holtkamp called “Aardappel” (“potato”) and a cup of tea. When Karel Appel spent time in his studio in Connecticut, North of New York, or on his estate in Tuscany, Italy, Nico would fly over to visit him there.
Since the 1980s Nico Delaive has specialised himself in the art of Karel Appel. To this day Gallery Delaive always has original works by Karel Appel in the gallery. With this exhibition Gallery and Nico Delaive honour their long-standing relationship with this icon of modern art.
Untitled, 1961, oil on canvas, 130 x 194 cm.
Untitled, 1962, crayon on paper, 50 x 39 cm.
Untitled, 1962, crayon on paper, 30 x 30 cm.
Dancing figures, undated (1960s), mixed technique on paper, 21 x 29.7 cm.
Karel Appel in his studio near Mercatale, Tuscany, Italy, 1993.
Karel Appel in Gallery Delaive at the Spiegelgracht, Amsterdam, ca 1993.
Untitled, 1970, crayon on paper, 58 x 76 cm.
Walasse Ting in his studio in New York, ca. 1989.
Untitled, 1974, crayon on paper, 40.5 x 56 cm.
Untitled, 1974, oil on canvas, 81.5 x 100.5 cm.
Visages-Paysages (Landschappelijke Mensen), 1975, oil on canvas, 150 x 150 cm.
Untitled, 1975, acrylic on paper, 74 x 99 cm.
Personage, 1976, patchwork/ textile, 99 x 120 cm.
“To Suzy”, 1978, mixed media, 27.5 x 17 x 18 cm.
Karel Appel with decor designs for Die Zauberflöte, July 1996.
Clown from the Circus series, 1978, painted wood, 139 x 95 x 30 cm., edition of 8.
Untitled, 1982, acrylic on paper laid on canvas, 110 x 75.5 cm.
Portrait, 1984, acrylic on paper laid on canvas, 58 x 38 cm.
in blue background, 1987, oil on canvas, 84.3 x 111.1 cm.
Figures
Composition with figures, 1988, acrylic on paper laid on canvas, 71 x 100 cm.
People in Landscape, 1989, acrylic on paper, 65 x 102.9 cm.
Karel Appel painting in Gallery Delaive at the Keizersgracht, Amsterdam, ca. 1993.
Karel Appel in Gallery Delaive at the Keizersgracht, Amsterdam, 1993.
Untitled, 1994, oil on canvas, 50 x 60 cm.
Nico en Boef”, 1995, crayon on paper, 55.5 x 74 cm.
“Voor
“Happy Days”, 1999, mixed technique on paper, 37 x 45 cm.
Bird Boy, 2002, mixed technique on paper, 54 x 36 cm.
Flower Girl, 2002, mixed technique on paper, 54 x 36 cm.
Karel Appel and Nico Delaive at the opera Die Zauberflöte, 1996.
Blue Boy, 2002, mixed technique on paper, 57 x 25.5 cm.
Karel Appel in his studio in Darien, Connecticut U.S.A., 1992.
Landscape, 2006, oil on canvas, 65 x 85 cm.
Karel Appel, Nico Delaive and Walasse Ting, restaurant Nam Kee, Amsterdam, ca. 1989.
Walasse Ting and Karel Appel in Gallery Delaive at the Keizersgracht, Amsterdam, 1993.
Chronology
1921
Born in Amsterdam, The Netherlands on April 25th.
1930s
Appel receives first painting lessons from his uncle.
1942-44
Studies at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts, Amsterdam. Befriends fellow student Corneille.
1946
First one-man exhibition at the Beerenhuis, Groningen, the Netherlands. Included in the exhibition Young Artists at the Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam. Visits Denmark, where he meets the Danish painters who will later become members of the Cobra group.
1947
Creates a series of relief works by mounting found objects on wood. In Autumn, Appel and Corneille spend some time in Paris. Towards the end of 1947 they meet Constant in Amsterdam.
1948
Together with Constant and Corneille, Appel helps to found the Dutch Expertimental Group in Amsterdam. The group publishes the periodical Reflex. The Dutch Experimental group merges into the International CoBrA group, founded on November 8, at the Café de l’Hotel Notre Dame in Paris, by Dotremont and Noiret (Belgium), Jorn (Denmark) and Appel, Constant and Corneille (the Netherlands). Later, Alechinsky (Belgium) joins the group.
1949
Appel completes a mural for the cafeteria of the Amsterdam City Hall. After public outcry, the city council orders the mural to be whitewashed. It will stay covered for ten years.
1950
Together with Constant and Corneille, Appel leaves Holland and settles in Paris, where they meet the Danish painter Jorn. Writer Hugo Claus introduces him to Michel Tapié, who organized various exhibitions of his work
1953
Martha Jackson visits Appel’s studio where she buys several of his works. This marks the beginning of a relationship that continues for more than twenty years. Appel is given a solo show at the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Brussels.
1954
He received the UNESCO Prize at the Biennale of Venice.
1956
Commissioned by the Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam to make a mural for its new restaurant.
1957
Appel travels to Mexico and the United States and meets the painters of the Abstract Expressionist avant-garde.
1959
Is awarded an International Prize for Painting at the Sao Paulo Bienal.
1962
The first major monograph on Appel, written by Claus, is published.
1964
Acquires and completely renovates the Château of Molesmes near Auxerre in France.
1968
Solo exhibitions of his work are held at the Centre National Art Contemporain in Paris and the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam
1969
Solo exhibitions at the Kunsthalle Basel and the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Brussels.
1970
A major Appel show opens at the Centraal Museum in Utrecht.
1971
Makes his first large-scale sculptures in polychrome aluminum.
1972
A retrospective of his work tours Canada and the United States.
1977
Takes up residence in the South of France.
1980
Appel begins his series of window paintings. In these compositions, he produces the most abstract and contemplative paintings to date.
1992
First exhibtion at Gallery Delaive, with paintings made in Italy and Monaco.
1994
Commissioned by De Nederlandse Opera, Appel creates the scenic concept for the opera Noach by the young Dutch composer Guus Janssen and the librettist Friso Haverkamp.
2001
Three Dutch museums, the Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam; the Cobra Museum, Amstelveen and the Haags Gemeentemuseum, The Hague celebrate Karel Appel’s 80th birthday with exhibitions.
2006
On May 3rd Appel dies at the age of 85 in his home in Zürich, Switzerland. He is buried at Cimetière du Père-Lachaise in Paris.
Karel Appel in the studio at the Weteringplantsoen, Amsterdam, October 3rd 1992.
Colofon
Copyright
Karel Appel Foundation
Gallery Delaive B.V.
Published by Gallery Delaive, 2019
Photography Nico Delaive
Robrecht de Vocht
Cover:
People in Landscape, 1989, acrylic on paper, 65 x 102.9 cm.
Spread:
Karel Appel in his studio near Mercatale, Tuscany, Italy, 1993.
Text
Robrecht de Vocht
Lay-out
Robrecht de Vocht
ISBN 9789073392977
Edition
300 copies
Gallery Delaive
MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY ART
Spiegelgracht 23, 1017JP, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
T +31-(0)20 622 1295
info@delaive.com - www.delaive.com
