'Portrait of a Standing Man' by Antoine Mortier (1938)

'Portrait of a Standing Man', charcoal on brown kraft paper, by Antoine Mortier (1938). Not best known for his portraiture, the assumption here is that the artist quickly yet skilfully sketched his friend, Nicolas, to whom this drawing was dedicated. The subject is wearing spectacles and sporting a wide-lapelled suit which was in vogue back then. The use of charcoal as the artist's medium beautifully complements the sturdy kraft paper. The artwork is in good overall condition. It has been newly framed and glazed with anti-reflective glass. Please enjoy the many photos accompanying the listing. Upon request a video may be provided. The work is signed and dedicated lower right: "To my friend Nicolas in memory of Sunday 27/2/38." One wonders about the significance of that day for the two friends. 

About the Artist: Antoine Mortier (1908 - 1999) was born in Brussels in 1908 where he studied painting and sculpture at the Fine Arts Academy. In 1940 he began his artistic career and later exhibited at the Salon Apport, organised by Robert Delevoy, director of the famous 'Galerie Apollo' and briefly joined the group of 'Young Belgian Painters' or 'Jeune Peintres Belge'. In 1949 he exhibited at the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Brussels and in 1951, the Allbright Gallery in Buffalo, New York, acquired his painting exhibited at the Carnegie Institute in Pittsburgh. The famous art dealer, Daniel-Henry Kahnweiler, invited Mortier to settle in Paris, but the artist chose to stay in Brussels for family reasons. In 1953 Baroness Lambert put a work studio at the artist's disposal in her private residence in Brussels the same

year the Solomon Guggenheim Museum in New York acquired his painting titled, "Variation II Blue Torso", dated 1948. In recognition of his talent, in 1986 the Royal Museum of Fine Arts in Brussels and the Palais des Beaux-Arts paid tribute to the artist with a retrospective exhibition. At that point, Mortier was rightly considered as one of the most important Belgian painters of the second half of the 20th century. Although his works appear to be abstract at first sight, they are not. Mortier transcends the reality of his daily surroundings with broad Gestures into monumental Signs, the expression of his inner emotions (Ref: Group 2 Gallery 2003).

Group 2 Gallery organised a duo exhibition of Antoine Mortier and Englebert Van Anderlecht, "Sign & Gesture" in 2003.

Dimensions with frame:

H 46 cm / 18.1"

W 37 cm / 14.6"

Dimensions without frame:

H 33 cm / 13"

W 23.5 cm / 9.3"