Hans Hartung | Rigueur et fulgurance

Hans Hartung’s lyricism and dynamism combine subconsciousness and thought-out elements. In his work, technique is fundamental, from the preparation of the canvas to its ultimate realisation. His glazing and colour choices are studied, treated. As a result, it naturally followed that the development of a painting was slow. It sometimes took him weeks to finish a painting. He painted using superimposed layers until he obtained the desired  tone, which harmonised with the overall composition. That said, the rigour of his meticulous, scholarly research remains inappreciable for the spectator. Unlike the paintings of so many of his contemporaries, his work presents neither splashes nor drips. For decades, his work imposed itself as being impeccably “clean.”

Much later, the pieces were subjected to violence: scratching, scraping, tearing. These interventions organise themselves in the painted space, often sustained or highlighted by the intentional gesture of stripes which takes over the canvas or paper. Once again, there is a subtle interplay between the outpourings of Hans Hartung’s feelings confronted with the creative space. Here, lyricism supported by emotion takes on an unprecedented dimension. The artist, settled in his house in Antibes, in the twilight of his life and with nothing left to prove, allowed himself every audacity. This was the honesty of an artist who understood that transcending his laurels was the privilege of an entirely unfettered man.

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