Rik Wouters painting fetches record 2.46m euros at Paris auction

A painting by Belgian artist Rik Wouters has sold for a record 2.46 million euros at auction in Paris, the highest price ever paid for one of his works. The work, Reflets (Reflections), a 1912 portrait of the artist's wife and muse, Nel, was originally estimated at between 650,000 and 850,000 euros, auction house Christie's said on Thursday.

The painting was part of a private collection assembled since the 1970s by Joris Onzea and Suzanne Govaerts and curated by Belgian designer, antique dealer and art dealer Axel Vervoordt. The collection spanned various artistic traditions and historical periods and fetched a total of 10 million euros. Works on paper and canvas by Wouters alone fetched 4.2 million euros.

RIK WOUTERS (1882-1916), Reflets | Christie's

Reflets

Christie's

Wouters (1882-1916) is considered a key figure in Brabant Fauvism - a Belgian art movement that originated near Brussels in the early 20th century, characterised by bold colour contrasts and expressive brushwork.

Unlike their French Fauvist counterparts such as Henri Matisse, the Brabant Fauvists developed a distinct style rooted in the Belgian context. Known not only for his paintings but also for his drawings and sculptures, Wouters died in Amsterdam at the age of 33.

^{#FlandersNewsService | © BELGA PHOTO ERIC LALMAND}

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