Louis Van Lint
Encyclopedia
Louis Van Lint was a Belgian
painter
, major figure of the Belgian post-war abstraction
.
) under Henry Ottevaere and Jacques Maes until 1939. He studied sculpture
and architecture
as well.
His early work reflects a traditional figurative
painting style with a unique sense of color. In 1940 he founded the group "La Route Libre" with Gaston Bertrand and Anne Bonnet
.
His art was influenced to some degree by the animist movement
, but he eventually broke away with the presentation of his painting, The Flayed Body (L'Ecorche, 1943), a shocking expression of his wish for more artistic freedom that consequently sounded a revolt against animism.
As his style matured, he switched to abstraction
in which he excelled as colorist and master of form.
After World War II
he co-founded The Young Belgian Painters (La Jeune Peinture Belge) with Gaston Bertrand, Anne Bonnet and some others.
Van Lint experimented with geometric abstraction for a decade, and then, influenced by the French painter Bazaine
, he started his lyrical abstraction
period. He participated in the demonstrations and exhibitions of the CoBrA
group.
In 1958, The Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation
gave him a prize and in 1960 he became member of the Royal Academy of Belgium
.
In the sixties
he introduced Hergé
to abstract painting and provided him with private lessons for one year.
He has long been represented in Belgian section in outstanding exhibitions of contemporary painting and his work is held by several museums all over the world such as the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium
, the Guggenheim
and the Brooklyn
museums in New York
, the Carnegie Museum of Art
in Pittsburgh, and the São Paulo Contemporary Art Museum
in Brazil
.
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
painter
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
, major figure of the Belgian post-war abstraction
Abstract art
Abstract art uses a visual language of form, color and line to create a composition which may exist with a degree of independence from visual references in the world. Western art had been, from the Renaissance up to the middle of the 19th century, underpinned by the logic of perspective and an...
.
Biography
Louis Van Lint studied painting at the Academy of Saint-Josse-ten-Noode (BrusselsBrussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
) under Henry Ottevaere and Jacques Maes until 1939. He studied sculpture
Sculpture
Sculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals...
and architecture
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
as well.
His early work reflects a traditional figurative
Figurative art
Figurative art, sometimes written as figurativism, describes artwork—particularly paintings and sculptures—which are clearly derived from real object sources, and are therefore by definition representational.-Definition:...
painting style with a unique sense of color. In 1940 he founded the group "La Route Libre" with Gaston Bertrand and Anne Bonnet
Anne Bonnet
Anne Bonnet was a Belgian painter.Born Anne Thonet in Brussels, she began her studies in art in 1924, but was obliged to abandon them in 1926 on the death of her parents. In 1930 she married Louis Bonnet, a dealer in silk, and her financial situation allowed her to return to art...
.
His art was influenced to some degree by the animist movement
Animism
Animism refers to the belief that non-human entities are spiritual beings, or at least embody some kind of life-principle....
, but he eventually broke away with the presentation of his painting, The Flayed Body (L'Ecorche, 1943), a shocking expression of his wish for more artistic freedom that consequently sounded a revolt against animism.
As his style matured, he switched to abstraction
Abstract art
Abstract art uses a visual language of form, color and line to create a composition which may exist with a degree of independence from visual references in the world. Western art had been, from the Renaissance up to the middle of the 19th century, underpinned by the logic of perspective and an...
in which he excelled as colorist and master of form.
After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he co-founded The Young Belgian Painters (La Jeune Peinture Belge) with Gaston Bertrand, Anne Bonnet and some others.
Van Lint experimented with geometric abstraction for a decade, and then, influenced by the French painter Bazaine
Jean René Bazaine
Jean René Bazaine was a French painter, designer of stained glass windows, and writer. He was the great great grandson of the English Court portraitist Sir George Hayter.-Studies:...
, he started his lyrical abstraction
Lyrical Abstraction
Lyrical Abstraction is either of two related but distinctly separate trends in Post-war Modernist painting, and a third definition is the usage as a descriptive term. It is a descriptive term characterizing a type of abstract painting related to Abstract Expressionism; in use since the 1940s...
period. He participated in the demonstrations and exhibitions of the CoBrA
COBRA (avant-garde movement)
COBRA was a European avant-garde movement active from 1948 to 1951. The name was coined in 1948 by Christian Dotremont from the initials of the members' home cities: Copenhagen , Brussels , Amsterdam .-History:...
group.
In 1958, The Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation
Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation
The Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation is a nonprofit corporation founded in 1937 by philanthropist Solomon R. Guggenheim and artist Hilla von Rebay. The first museum established by the foundation was the "Museum of Non-Objective Art", which was housed in rented space on Park Avenue in New York....
gave him a prize and in 1960 he became member of the Royal Academy of Belgium
The Royal Academies for Science and the Arts of Belgium
There are two Royal Academies for Science and the Arts in Belgium, corresponding to the two main languages of the country, Dutch and French . The Academies are located in the Palace of Academies in Brussels....
.
In the sixties
1960s
The 1960s was the decade that started on January 1, 1960, and ended on December 31, 1969. It was the seventh decade of the 20th century.The 1960s term also refers to an era more often called The Sixties, denoting the complex of inter-related cultural and political trends across the globe...
he introduced Hergé
Hergé
Georges Prosper Remi , better known by the pen name Hergé, was a Belgian comics writer and artist. His best known and most substantial work is the 23 completed comic books in The Adventures of Tintin series, which he wrote and illustrated from 1929 until his death in 1983, although he was also...
to abstract painting and provided him with private lessons for one year.
He has long been represented in Belgian section in outstanding exhibitions of contemporary painting and his work is held by several museums all over the world such as the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium
Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium
The Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium , is one of the most famous museums in Belgium.-The museum:...
, the Guggenheim
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum is a well-known museum located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan in New York City, United States. It is the permanent home to a renowned collection of Impressionist, Post-Impressionist, early Modern, and contemporary art and also features special exhibitions...
and the Brooklyn
Brooklyn Museum
The Brooklyn Museum is an encyclopedia art museum located in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. At 560,000 square feet, the museum holds New York City's second largest art collection with roughly 1.5 million works....
museums in New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, the Carnegie Museum of Art
Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh
Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh are four museums that are operated by the Carnegie Institute headquartered in the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
in Pittsburgh, and the São Paulo Contemporary Art Museum
Museum of Contemporary Art, University of São Paulo
The Museum of Contemporary Art, University of São Paulo is a contemporary art museum located in the main campus of the University of São Paulo, in São Paulo, Brazil, and in Ibirapuera Park, in the same city.The museum was inaugurated in 1963, when the Brazilian industrialist and art collector...
in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
.
Exhibitions
- Venice Biennale, 1948.
- International Watercolor Exhibition, Fourteenth Biennial, Brooklyn Museum, New York, 1948.
- São Paulo Biennale, 1951-1953.
- Carnegie Institute, Pittsburgh, 1952.
- Guggenheim Museum, New York, 1954.
- Carnegie Institute, Pittsburgh, 1958.
- Documenta 2, Documenta, Cassel, 1959.
- Tokyo Biennale, 1961.
- Tokyo Biennale, 1965.
- The Flemish and Ostend painting, Venice, 1997.
- From Cobra to abstraction. The Thomas Neirynck Collection, Paris, 2006.