Henri Nouveau (Henrik Neugeboren) (1901-1959) "Soi-disant"

About this piece

Very impressive abstract work from Henri Nouveau (Henri Neugeboren), dated 1951. He titled the work 'Soi-Disant' (Supposedly). The composition is beautiful with all the coloured areas en lines. In the green a woman figure is visible.

He mainly used oil pastels (chalks) on paper, oil pastels is similar as oil paint but they don't dry out or harden completely. It has a high level of pigments, which why the work is so intense of colour. Besides oil chalks he used pencil for the design.

This artwork is signed on the back side in ink ; "H.N.', titled "Soi-disant" and dated "8-1-51", with a stamp "H.N. Succesion".

There is also an old label on the back side:
'Michel Couturier et Cie, 22 Rue de Seine, Paris 6e,
Registration number 33; H. Nouveau - "Soi-Disant", huile 8-1-51, 46 x 32 cm.'

The work is framed in the original black wooden frame.

Provenance:
- Galerie Michel Couturier et Cie, Parijs.

Biography:
Henrik Neugeboren, (Kronstadt,1901- Paris, 1959) was born in Kronstadt, Transylvania, at that time part of Austria-Ungarn. Most of his youth he lived in Budapest. He studied piano and composition in Berlin, 1921-1925, and in Paris from 1925-1927, where he continues his study with Nadia Boulanger.

After Paris he lived a few years in Berlin again, where he made many contacts with the Bauhaus in Dessau. In 1929 he moved again to Paris, where he worked and lived till his early death in 1959. Besides his work as a successful composer, he was also busy with his artworks under the chosen pseudonym Henri Nouveau.

During the 1920s he made non-figuration work, after a short period of surrealism he worked in an abstract-geometrical style, which is strongly influenced by Cubism.
With this work he got international recognation and successes. His first exhibition was in 1930, on the recommendation of Theo van Doesburg. Later on he was invited by Francis Picabia for another exhibition (1949). He exhibited his work in several Parisian galleries and international in Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Sweden and the Netherlands (Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam).

Museum Picasso in Antibes dedicates an overview exhibition of his oeuvre in 1989. The artwork of Henri Nouveau made for instance part of the collection of Musée d'Art Moderne and Pinakothek Munich.

Henrik Neugeboren left us a great oeuvre of 50 compositions, mainly for chamber music, his artworks, paintings and also some sculptures. Besides he wrote several art theoratical essays, aforism, literairy essays and diaries.

Literature:
- Henri Nouveau/ Henrik Neugeboren 1901-1959, "Au-déla de l'abstaction - Jenseits der Abstraktion", Museum Ostdeutsche galerie, Regensburg, Musée de Pontoise Henri Nouveau, Siebenburgisches Museum Gundelsheim, Jan, 2002.

- Jean-Jacques Duparcques; 'Henri Nouveau', Édition Michel Couturier, Paris, 1959.

- Michel Senphor; ' Henri Nouveau, Hongrois, peintre et compositeur', Édition Galerie de France, 1959. (catalogue).

Condition

Good, because of the glass in the frame, there are some reflections on the photo's. In real time, the work is still more beautiful.