Concrete Contemporary Auctions and Projects Contemporary Art Auction

April 13, 2015

LOT 44

Lot 44

PAUL BÉLIVEAU, R.C.A.

PAUL BÉLIVEAU, R.C.A.
Lot 44 Details
PAUL BÉLIVEAU, R.C.A.

LES HUMANITES XXII

acrylic on canvas
signed, titled and dated 2003 on the reverse
72 ins x 48 ins; 182.9 cms x 121.9 cms

Estimate $6,000-$9,000

Realised: $6,600
Price Includes Buyer's Premium ?

Lot Report

Provenance:

Galerie de Bellefeuille, Montreal
Private Collection, Toronto

Literature:

Couture Galleri. Paul Béliveau. Accessed February 02, 2015. http:// www.couturegalleri.se/artists/paul-béliveau-137835.

Note:

The work of French-Canadian artist Paul Béliveau explores themes of history and literature through photorealism. His large-scale oil paintings fuse iconic imagery and nontraditional subject matter allowing the viewer to interpret the interaction of the two. “In Paul Béliveau's paintings, the play of juxtaposition is not the result of a random accumulation of images. Rather, it converges towards an idea of structure or of system, an organized assemblage of elements responding to each other and building upon each other." Les Humanites XXII (2003) pays homage to the great poets and thinkers of the mid-19th century. Here Béliveau depicts the classic work of French poet Charles Baudelaire, Les Fleurs du mal, and Arthur Rimbaud’s Poesies, une Illuminations, publications recognized for their influence on creative change and expression during the Romantic period in Europe. Most notably stationed at the centre of the painting is Van Loon’s biographical text on the life of Rembrandt van Rijn, with an illustration of the Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp (1631), a work that emphasizes crucial historical events and discoveries while underlining the role of the arts in history. Together these examples merge on canvas as Béliveau’s didactic ode to modernism demonstrates the effects of art and literature on the artist’s creative development.

Paul Béliveau's work is widely exhibited and collected throughout North America and Europe. The artist has five upcoming solo exhibitions in 2015 including an exhibition at the Winsor Gallery in Vancouver and the Arden Gallery in Boston.

CONDITION DETAILS

For condition information please contact the specialist.

LOT 44
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About Condition Ratings

  • 5 Stars: Excellent - No discernable damage, flaws or imperfections
  • 4 Stars: Very Good - Minor flaws or imperfections visible only under close inspection using specialised instruments or black light
  • 3 Stars: Good - Minor flaws visible upon inspection under standard lighting
  • 2 Stars: Fair - Exhibits flaws or damage that may draw the eye under standard lighting
  • 1 Star: Poor - Flaws or damage immediately apparent under standard lighting (examples: missing components, rips, broken glass, damaged surfaces, etc.)

Note: Condition ratings and condition details are the subjective opinions of our specialists and should be used as a guide only. Waddington’s uses due care when preparing condition details, however, our staff are not professional restorers or conservators. Condition details and reports are not warranties and each lot is sold “as is” in accordance with the buyer’s terms and conditions of sale. In all cases the prospective purchaser is responsible for inspecting the property themselves prior to placing a bid.