705 - Henri Michaux (1899 Namur – Paris 1984)

Henri Michaux (1899 Namur – Paris 1984) Composition Ink on BFK Rives vellum. 1962. Approx. 74.5 x 107.5 cm. Monogrammed in the lower right corner and dated on the reverse. Handwritten inscription on the reverse, with a directional arrow, an unknown stamp reading “III/I” within a circle, and the handwritten number “D 184.” The work is listed under the number “HM8583” in the forthcoming catalog raisonné by Micheline Phankim, Rainer Michael Mason, and Franck Leibovici, Henri Michaux Archive, Paris. • Large-format ink drawing from the significant creative phase of 1962 • Powerful, calligraphic visual language of extraordinary dynamism • Internationally renowned artist, represented by the comparable ink work *Mouvement III* from 1965 at the Centre Pompidou, Paris As a poet, draftsman, and tireless explorer of inner worlds of perception, he developed a distinctive visual language that blends gestural abstraction, imaginary script, and psychological movement. His intensive experiments with mind-altering substances in the 1950s and early 1960s had a lasting impact on his artistic development. This ink drawing from 1962 marks a decisive phase in his creative work. Following the mescaline drawings, characterized by nervous, microscopically fine line structures, his visual language increasingly gains gestural freedom and compositional independence. The experiences of altered perception now find expression in a deliberately crafted, powerful visual language. In a dynamic interplay of condensation and dissolution, powerful, calligraphic-like ink strokes cover the light-colored paper surface. Broad, expressive gestures and fine, vibrating lines unfold a pulsating rhythm. This work impressively illustrates Michaux’s ability to translate inner perception into a distinct visual language. Through the interplay of spontaneous gesture and artistic control, that unmistakable expressiveness unfolds, elevating his work to a prominent position within the international postwar avant-garde. Provenance: The artist’s estate; Galerie Daniel Cordier, Paris; Galerie Le Point Cardinal, Paris; Erker-Galerie, St. Gallen; Private collection, Switzerland, likely acquired from the aforementioned gallery in the 1960s; Private collection, Switzerland, inherited from the aforementioned gallery. Taxation: subject to regular taxation (VAT: Regular Taxation).