John Cluysenaar, Belgian (1899-1986) Oil on canvas C1960 £1200

The 'Composition Abstraite' & 'Visage Imaginaire' Series

The rhythmic essence flows through the core of John Cluysenaar's paintings. Profoundly influenced by his love for music, his canvases exemplify the fluidity of brush strokes, resembling notes dancing across sheet music. Notable amongst his later works were the abstract series of fragmented faces

Cluysenaar embraced the 'all-over' composition, a concept gaining prominence in America through artists like Jackson Pollock and Willem De Kooning. With Composition Abstraite, he sought to inundate the canvas with a fiery burst of strokes, departing from a central focal point, infusing spontaneity into the artwork. Employing a restricted colour palette for each piece, Cluysenaar delved into various shades, creating depth and mystique in his works.