His early works, made with pen and ink are drawings and etchings made with a push towards experimentation and the creation of something that hadn't been seen before.
These delicate yet direct studies are complex in form and subject but could be seen as ideas recorded on to paper for future reference but are actually finished pieces.
Untitled 1937.
Wols' paintings appear to be influenced by the world around him but he takes what he views then turns it into what he wants us to see, his own vision of the world.
This is particularly apparent in his 'Windmill' painting.
'The Windmill', 1913, Oil on Canvas, 73 x 60cm.
At first glance we don't see what it is. The paint is scraped, scratched and dragged onto the canvas in a very hasty, rushed manner but Wols knew what he was doing. He's concentrated on the movement, the liveliness and the overall abstract reality of the scene instead of the form and structure. Once given the title we can instantly see what it is but without this we are left wondering, and thats the beauty of his work. Did he produce this work whilst studying a windmill or did he give the painting this name after he'd finished because it resembled a windmill?
He tells a story with each piece but these stories need to be explained for us to fully understand and appreciate what we see. Once explained, the true beauty shines through and we can fully take in what he's presented to us even if at first it looks like a spontaneous attack on the canvas.
Again we see his love of experimentation coming into play. Each stroke of paint is direct and builds a strong but loose form.
The colours, bright yellow, green and brown suggest a sunny day with the structure set against a countryside landscape backdrop but this is only suggested and we need to decide if thats what were actually seeing. He gives us the basics but We need to finish Wols' story ourselves. He is a master of experimentation and expression through shape and mark making. Nothing is as it seems and the title and explanation are a spoiler for me. I don't want to be told what his paintings or drawings are, I want to enjoy what I see, especially if I don't know exactly what I'm looking at.
