Corneille
Belgian, 1922-2010
The Dutch artist Corneille created lyrical, expressionist paintings bursting with color and was one of the founders of the postwar European art movement known as Cobra.
Corneille was best known for radicalizing the conservative Dutch art world in the early 1950s, making modern art not only acceptable, but embraceable as well. He placed familiar subjects — birds, cats, women and landscapes — in mythological and often childlike contexts, imbuing them with spontaneity and bright, sensual reds.
"I am a painter of joy," Corneille remarked at a 2007 exhibition of his work at the Cobra Museum, said Katja Weitering, the artistic director of the museum, in Amstelveen, near Amsterdam.
"He was really an artist for all people," she said. "He was open to the audience; he appeared in documentaries, on television, and frequently visited exhibitions. It's safe to say we consider him one of the most important modern artists of the postwar." In the Netherlands, she added, his fame and influence derived from the appeal of Cobra.
Born Guillaume Cornelis van Beverloo to Dutch parents on July 3, 1922, in Liège, Belgium, Corneille was influenced by Miró, Picasso and Paul Klee but claimed the most profound connection to van Gogh because of their shared passion for color, form and nature.
Corneille founded Cobra in 1948 with five other artists, including his close friends Karel Appel and Constant Nieuwenhuys. The name was an acronym made up of the artists' home cities — Copenhagen, Brussels and Amsterdam. The artists drew inspiration from surrealism, but believed that style promoted too much discussion and not enough action.
Instead, Corneille and his friends formed a united front in postwar Europe, urging a break from tradition and toward freedom and vitality. In an intense three years, Cobra produced two major international exhibitions and published 10 issues of a magazine for which Corneille wrote poetry. Cobra disbanded in 1951, saying it had achieved its goals, and the artists returned to their individual careers.
Corneille began his artistic life in 1940, studying at the Academy of Fine Arts in Amsterdam. Though he made his home base in Paris in the early 1950s, he traveled extensively in Africa, Cuba, Brazil, and Mexico. In Africa he became fascinated by the colors, smells and cultures, Ms. Weitering said, collecting brightly painted objects like the masks he later used as themes. He also spent time in Italy, Israel and San Francisco, expanding his repertory to include etching, ceramics and printmaking.
Beyond the Netherlands, Corneille's work is in the collections of several American museums, including the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.| Average Sold Price |
| $1,219 |
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| Related Artists |
PORTRAIT IMAGINAIRE Signed Lithograph, Fantasy Portrait Woman Face Exotic Birds
By Corneille
Located in Union City, NJ
PORTRAIT IMAGINAIRE is an original hand drawn limited edition lithograph printed using hand lithography techniques on archival paper 100% acid free by the Dutch artist known as CORNE...
Category
1980s Contemporary Corneille
Materials
Lithograph
Confiance à l’oiseau.
By Corneille
Located in Malmo, SE
Publisher GKM.
Unframed.
Edition of 150 ex
Paper: 300gr. Goya.
Signed, dated and numbered.
Corneille, one of the founders of the COBRA group, has passed away. He died in Paris on Su...
Category
1980s Contemporary Corneille
Materials
Screen
Soleil levant
By Corneille
Located in Malmo, SE
Publisher GKM.
Unframed.
Edition of 150 ex.
Paper: 300gr. Goya.
Signed, dated and numbered.
Free shipment worldwide.
Corneille, one of the founders of the COBRA group, has passed aw...
Category
1980s Contemporary Corneille
Materials
Screen
Aurore
By Corneille
Located in Malmo, SE
Publisher GKM.
Unframed.
Edition of 250 ex.
Paper: 300gr. Goya.
Signed, dated and numbered.
Free shipment worldwide.
Corneille, one of the founders of the COBRA group, has passed aw...
Category
1990s Contemporary Corneille
Materials
Screen
Grand nu bleu
By Corneille
Located in Malmo, SE
Publisher GKM.
Unframed.
Edition of 80 ex.
Signed, dated and numbered.
Free shipment worldwide.
Corneille, one of the founders of the COBRA group, has passed away. He died in Pari...
Category
1980s Contemporary Corneille
Materials
Engraving
Nu Rouge Á L'Oiseau, Signed Lithograph Red Female Nude, Exotic Blue Bird, Erotic
By Corneille
Located in Union City, NJ
Nu Rouge Á L'Oiseau is an original hand drawn limited edition lithograph printed in vivid colors on archival Somerset paper 100% acid, free, by the Dutch artist known as CORNEILLE(Gu...
Category
1980s Expressionist Corneille
Materials
Lithograph
Japanse Interior - Original handsigned lithograph
By Corneille
Located in Paris, IDF
Corneille
Japanse Interior, 1988
Original lithograph
Handsigned
Justified EA
On vellum 40 x 28 cm (c. 16 x 11 inch)
Excellent condition
Category
1980s Surrealist Corneille
Materials
Lithograph
LA TOUR, LA NUIT, LE JOUR Signed Lithograph, Female Nudes, Dark Sky, Stars
By Corneille
Located in Union City, NJ
LA TOUR, LA NUIT, LE JOUR is an original hand drawn limited edition lithograph by the Dutch artist known as CORNEILLE(Guillaume van Beverloo) an abstract expressionist who co-founded...
Category
1980s Contemporary Corneille
Materials
Lithograph
Browse all Art from Corneille
Shop NowCorneille Sale Prices
This data represents a recent sample of sales made on 1stDibs during the specified years. All sales are anonymized.
| Sold Date | Sold Price | Category | Medium | Creation Year | |
|
| $1,219 |
Average sold price of items in the past 12 months |
| $1,219-$1,219 |
| Sold price range of items in the past 12 months |
Artists Similar to Corneille
Corneille art for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a wide variety of authentic Corneille art available for sale on 1stDibs. If you’re browsing the collection of art to introduce a pop of color in a neutral corner of your living room or bedroom, you can find work that includes elements of blue, orange, purple and other colors. You can also browse by medium to find art by Corneille in lithograph, screen print, engraving and more. Much of the original work by this artist or collective was created during the 20th century and is mostly associated with the contemporary style. Not every interior allows for large Corneille art, so small editions measuring 11 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Martine Goeyens, Enrico Baj, and Nicola Simbari. Corneille art prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $324 and tops out at $48,543, while the average work can sell for $1,421.