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Clown

Clown

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Karel Appel

Alexander and Henrietta Hollaender gave the Chazen a large collection of works by members of CoBrA, a vigorous group of artists who derived the acronym from their native cities of Copenhagen, Brussels, Amsterdam. The founders met in Paris in 1948 at a conference of surrealists. These artists issued a manifesto and exhibited together until 1951. CoBrA artists also drew inspiration from the art of children and the insane and native folk traditions; their work emphasizes spontaneity, vibrant—even harsh—color, and flamboyant brushwork Karel Appel explained, "The CoBrA group started new, and first of all we threw away all these things we had known, and started afresh, like a child, fresh and new." In Clown (1981.248) a figure emerges in bold outline from the heavy brushstrokes, suggesting mystery or dream or vision. The Clown resembles a mask with large eyes exuding raw emotion. Appel celebrates the texture of the paint; the individual strokes are three-dimensional, giving a sculptural quality to this powerful image. The composition is free and unordered.
Artist
Karel Appel
(Dutch, 1921 - 2006)
Title
Clown
Date
1954
Medium
Oil on burlap
Dimensions
40 5/8 x 35 1/8 in. Overall
Credit
Gift of Alexander and Henrietta W. Hollaender
Accession No.
1981.248
Classification
Paintings
Geography
Netherlands

Related

1957, sold by Gallerie Stadler (Paris, France) to Alexander and Henrietta W. Hollaender (Oak Ridge, TN and Washington, DC); 1981, gifted to the Elvehjem Museum of Art [now called Chazen Museum of Art]

  • Watrous, James. "A Century of Capricious Collecting 1877-1970: From the Gallery in Science Hall to the Elvehjem Museum of Art," Madison, WI: Elvehjem Museum of Art, 1987. p. 33, fig. 38
  • Elvehjem Art Center. "Inaugural Exhibition: 19th & 20th Century Art from Collections of Alumni & Friends." Madison, WI: Regents of the University of Wisconsin, 1970. p. 119, no. 150
  • Elvehjem Museum of Art. "CoBrA: The Hollaender Collection" [exhibition cat]. Madison: Elvehjem Museum of Art, 1981. p. 32, no. 11
  • Elvehjem Museum of Art. "Handbook of the Collection." Elvehjem Museum of Art, University of Wisconsin-Madison. Madison, 1990. no. 129
  • Elvehjem Museum of Art. "Artscene." Vol. 12, No. 3, Summer 1996. cover

  • CoBrA: The Hollaender Collection: Dulin Gallery of Art, Knoxville, TN, 9/6/1984–10/14/1984
  • CoBrA: The Hollaender Collection: Elvehjem Museum of Art, 5/31/1981–7/25/1981
  • Inaugural Exhibition: 19th & 20th Cen. Art from Collection of Alumni & Friends: Elvehjem Art Center, 9/11/1970–11/8/1970

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