Corneille

GUILLAUME CORNELIS “CORNEILLE” VAN BEVERLOO (Belgium, 1922 – France, 2010).
“Cat and Bird,” 2000.
Ink and watercolor on paper.
Signed and dated in the upper right corner.
Measurements: 18 x 24 cm; 45.5 x 51.5 cm (frame).

This work belongs to Corneille’s final creative period and is part of a series of four compositions dedicated to the theme of the cat and the bird, one of the most representative iconographic motifs in his body of work. In Corneille’s symbolic universe, the cat embodies instinct, curiosity, and the connection to the earthly world, while the bird represents freedom. Rather than illustrating a specific narrative, the composition creates a poetic space where both elements engage in a dialogue that balances the playful with the symbolic. Created in 2000, this piece is an excellent example of Corneille’s artistic maturity, in which the artist synthesizes the imagery that defined his career and established him as one of the key figures of the European avant-garde in the second half of the 20th century.

A key figure in the postwar European avant-garde, Guillaume Cornelis was one of the founders of the CoBrA movement, alongside Karel Appel and Constant. Trained in Amsterdam, he developed an artistic language influenced by Matisse, Picasso, Klee, and Miró, evolving from abstraction toward a poetic imagery populated by landscapes, birds, felines, and African-inspired figures—the result of his numerous travels. After settling in Paris in 1951, he expanded his practice to include printmaking and ceramics, establishing an unmistakable style characterized by intense color and formal freedom. His work is included in major international collections, including those of the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Museum of Dordrecht.