Antoni Tàpies

ANTONI TÀPIES (Barcelona, 1923–2012).
“Mà i petites creus,” 1981.
Mixed media on canvas.
Signed in the lower left corner.
On the reverse, it bears an archive label in Italian with handwritten details regarding authorship, title, medium—“T.M. su tela”—, year of creation, and measurements, as well as a note regarding its publication in 1982.
Work published in the artist’s catalog raisonné, vol. IV, 1976–1981, ref. 4041.
Measurements: 22.5 x 32.5 cm; 49 x 59.5 cm (frame).

“Mà i petites creus” belongs to a period of full artistic maturity in Antoni Tàpies’s career. After establishing himself internationally as one of the key figures of European Informalism, the artist entered the 1980s by delving deeper into a language in which matter, the body, and the sign take on a physical and spiritual dimension. In this work, the canvas appears as an eroded surface, reminiscent of a wall or skin, covered with ochres, glazes, and stains that evoke wear and the passage of time.

The silhouette of the hand dominates the composition. The palm, condensed into an intense black mass, contrasts with the fingers, transformed into swaths of pigment that project horizontally like fingerprints, emanations, or lines of force. For Tàpies, the hand is not merely an anatomical motif: it symbolizes touch, labor, writing, and the human capacity to interact with matter. The fragmented body thus becomes a vestige of a vulnerable presence, far removed from any idealized representation.

On the right, five small crosses correspond visually with the five fingers, establishing a sort of symbolic calculation or notation. The cross, one of the artist’s most characteristic symbols, has a deliberately open meaning in his work: it can function as a sum, a strike-through, an intersection of forces, a directional sign, a wound, or the demarcation of a space. The curved symbol in the upper corner reinforces the appearance of private writing or an indecipherable graphic system.

Despite its intimate format, the work synthesizes with singular clarity the fundamentals of the Tàpiesian universe: the support understood as living matter, the presence of the body through the imprint, and the use of elemental signs laden with philosophical resonances.

Antoni Tàpies was a leading figure in European art during the second half of the 20th century. A co-founder of the Dau al Set group, he pursued, beginning in the 1950s, a radical exploration of matter, the sign, and everyday objects. He participated in major international exhibitions, such as the Venice and São Paulo Biennales, and received, among other honors, the Prince of Asturias Award for the Arts. His work is held in institutions such as the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya, the Museo Reina Sofía, the Museum of Modern Art in New York, and the Tate in London.