Antoni Clavé

ANTONI CLAVÉ I SANMARTÍ (Barcelona, 1913 - Saint Tropez, France, 2005).
"Ballets de Paris".
Mixed media and collage on thick paper.
Signed in the lower right corner.
Measurements: 40 x 56 cm; 64 x 81 cm (frame).

Representative work of the plastic language of Antoni Clavé, in which figuration and abstraction converge through a dynamic and fragmented composition. The scene suggests a theatrical universe linked to the world of ballet, recurrent in his production, where the figures are constructed through gestural lines, stains and material superimpositions. The use of collage and mixed media provides depth and visual rhythm, while the chromatic hallmarks -intense reds, blues and blacks- structure the space and reinforce the scenic tension.

Clavé, trained in Barcelona and exiled in France after the Civil War, developed an international career marked by his links with the Parisian artistic environment. His work evolved from an initial interest in expressive figuration towards an increasingly abstract and material language, without abandoning theatrical and symbolic references. He collaborated closely with the world of entertainment, designing scenery and costumes, especially for ballet, which is clearly reflected in compositions such as the present one.

His work is represented in important collections and museums, such as the Centre Pompidou in Paris, the Reina Sofía Museum in Madrid and the Art Institute of Chicago, consolidating him as a key figure of 20th century Spanish art in the international context.