Félix Del Marle (1889-1952)

The name Félix Del Marle is inseparable from 20th century art. He is the first French artist in 1914 who is truly a futurist. Del Marle starts painting abstract in 1918. After his meeting with Piet Mondriaan and Theo van Doesburg he joins De Stijl and adopts the esthetics of néoplasticism. (sculpture)

After a figurative and religious phase in the 1930's, Del Marle returns to abstract art in 1945 and is one of the founders of the Salon des Réalités Nouvelles. His sculptures are strict and his constructivism is lyrical, playing with diagonal lines and curves. Always preoccupied with the ideal of the synthese of arts, he makes his compositions into reliefs and constructions in three dimensionals and tries to persuade architects to work together with painters and sculptors.

Abstract painting is a liberation for Felix Del Marle, everything is possible. A new world opens up to construct.  Colours  and forms play an important part too. In his abstract and geometric paintings Del Marle looks for unity, distinction and universality.

Looking for order and balance in the composition, the painter plays with circular and rectangular forms. The present lot is typical of this period. The essence lays in clarity of forms and simplicity of colours. The action of the painting is determined by the colours and forms and their mutual relationship.