Cubist Bronze Sculpture 'The Twins' by Willy Kessels, 1920s

About the Item

Cubist bronze sculpture 'The Twins' by Willy Kessels - 1920s Cubist bronze 'the twins' from the 1920s famous and well known Belgian sculptor, architect and photographer Willy Kessels. Especially as a photographer Willy Kessels is considered one of the most important representatives of modernist photography in Belgium, based on his work from the period 1929-1940. This bronze is made in a small edition, up to 10 copies. The bronze is cast in Brussels and on the inside there is a mark. The signature is at the foot of the sculpture; 'W. Kessels, Sculpt. Bruxelles'. Biography: Willy Kessels (Dendermonde, 1898-1974) studied architecture in 1916 in Sint-Lucas and sculpture at the Academy of fine arts in Ghent and starts in 1919 to work as an architect and designer in Brussels under the auspices of the architect Georges Hobbé. There he photographs all works and there his love for photography is growing. In 1926 he begins to focus on the photography and is also exhibiting, with other artists like Baugniet, Victor Bourgeois and Henri van de Velde. In 1925 his work was already on display at the Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes in Paris. His designs for applied art, furniture, statues and photos are receiving more and more attention and are greatly appreciated. However, he decided in 1930 to focus only on photography. In 1932 and 1933 he exhibited along with other photographers as Germaine Krull, André Kertesz, Laszlo Mhly-Nagy and Man Ray on the Exposition Internationale de la photographie et du film at the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Brussels. He's also working as a photographer to the film Misere au Borinage from 1933 by Joris Ivens and Henri Storck. Unfortunately, he became in 1935, by his friendship with Joris van Severen, in contact with the Belgian National Socialism. He also left Modernism in that period. He made neo-romantic pictures of the Flemish landscape and photographs he photagraphed later on the Belgian leaders of the collaboration. In later life he experiments again with an innovative modernist style.

Dimensions:

Height: 8.67 in (22 cm)Width: 4.34 in (11 cm)Depth: 3.15 in (8 cm)

Style:

Art Deco (Of the Period)

Materials and Techniques:

Bronze

Place of Origin:

Belgium

Period:

1920-1929

Date of Manufacture:

1920