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Eugène Brandsartist • painter • watercolourist • draughtsman • printmakerAmsterdam 1913-2002

biography of Eugenius Antonius Maria 'Eugène' Brands

Eugène Brands, born in Amsterdam in 1913, is educated at the Handelsschool and Kunstnijverheidsschool in his birthplace. After working for several years as an advertising artist, he decided to start painting. In this he is self-taught. During the war period he experimented with, among other things, drip paintings that he calls 'cosmic art'. These expressions of imaginary constellations are surrealistic drawings in ink on paper, which arise as if by means of flow, blots and splashes. In 1946, during the 'Young Painters' exhibition in the Amsterdam Stedelijk Museum, he attracted attention with his Lid of Heaven, a pan lid filled with white paint specks depicting a galaxy and handles in the shape of a rainbow. Karel Appel, Anton Rooskens and Corneille, impressed by Brands' playful artistic expression, ask him to join the Experimental Group REFLEX, which shortly afterwards merged into the CoBrA movement. What bound these painters was a strong desire for a free, spontaneous way of expression. After the notorious CoBrA exhibition in 1949, however, Brands decided to leave the group again. He is attracted to the undogmatic character of CoBrA, but tends more towards a solitary artistry. For the next ten years, he retired to his studio and drew his inspiration from the world of the child, inspired by the spontaneous drawings of his daughter Eugénie. He paints in a lyrical-abstract style with a woolly appearance, which is characteristic of his entire oeuvre. The performances, usually in oil or gouache on paper, radiate a fairytale atmosphere in which people, animals and things fly or float. A central theme is the mystery of the universe, which Brands depicts in a mysterious, cottony cloud of substance. In the 1950s he portrayed this with the brighter colors and black that are characteristic of CoBrA, in the 1960s, when he exchanged figuration for abstraction again, in transparent orange, white, yellow, bright green and light blue. The paint usually applies Brands thinly, in order to obtain the 'wool and cloudy' effect.

After his first solo exhibition 1939 in Amsterdam, Brands takes part in many national and international solo and group exhibitions, including those of Nieuwe Stromingen, Vrij Beelden, Creatie, Liga Nieuw Beelden and the Salon des Réalités Nouvelles in Paris. The group exhibition organized by Willem Sandberg in 1962 in the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam ensures his ultimate breakthrough and makes him no longer dependent on the BKR scheme. From 1967 Brands teaches at the Royal Academy of Art in Den Bosch. The abstracted landscapes with 'cow spots' and cloud formations date from this period.

Brands lives and works in Amsterdam. From 1974 he moved into a summer residence in Nunspeet in the Hoge Veluwe, where he can paint on a large scale and because of the proximity of nature he feels even more connected to the mystery of the cosmos. In 1993 he decides to stop painting on canvas, which is becoming too physically demanding for him and he limits himself to gouaches on paper. In 1999 Brands exchanged his studio in Nunspeet for a studio in the south of France. Unfortunately, he can't enjoy it for long. He died on January 15, 2002, on the day of his 89th birthday.


previously for salepaintings, watercolours, drawings and prints & multiples by Eugène Brands


Eugène Brands | Cornfield, oil on canvas, 200.0 x 275.0 cm, signed l.r. and on the reverse and executed ca. 1976

Eugène Brands

painting • previously for sale

Cornfield

Eugène Brands | Two Fishes, oil on paper, 24.7 x 27.8 cm, signed l.l. and on the reverse and dated 4.57

Eugène Brands

painting • previously for sale

Two Fishes

Eugène Brands | Two vases, oil on paper, 25.1 x 32.7 cm, signed l.l. and dated 8.55

Eugène Brands

painting • previously for sale

Two vases

Eugène Brands | A child dreaming, oil on canvas, 64.8 x 90.0 cm, signed l.r. and dated '65

Eugène Brands

painting • previously for sale

A child dreaming

Eugène Brands | One blue day, oil on paper, 22.3 x 29.2 cm, signed u.l. and dated 6.56

Eugène Brands

painting • previously for sale

One blue day

Eugène Brands | The goldfish, oil on paper, 42.3 x 49.7 cm, signed l.l. and dated 10.59

Eugène Brands

painting • previously for sale

The goldfish

Eugène Brands | Composition with figure and bird, oil on paper, 35.5 x 37.3 cm, signed u.r. and dated 4.56

Eugène Brands

painting • previously for sale

Composition with figure and bird

Eugène Brands | Head, oil on paper laid down on canvas, 52.5 x 50.6 cm, signed l.l. and dated XI.58

Eugène Brands

painting • previously for sale

Head

Eugène Brands | Girl with flowers, oil on paper, 34.1 x 36.8 cm, signed u.r. and dated 4.56

Eugène Brands

painting • previously for sale

Girl with flowers

Eugène Brands | The moon fish, oil on paper laid down on canvas, 16.1 x 17.6 cm, signed l.l. and dated 5.54

Eugène Brands

painting • previously for sale

The moon fish

Eugène Brands | Polder, oil on canvas, 75.4 x 130.4 cm, signed l.r. and dated on the reverse 1976

Eugène Brands

painting • previously for sale

Polder

Eugène Brands | Composition, oil on cardboard, 14.5 x 22.8 cm, signed c.r. and dated '63

Eugène Brands

painting • previously for sale

Composition

Eugène Brands | A standing nude, oil on paper, 31.1 x 28.0 cm, signed l.r. and dated 6.55

Eugène Brands

painting • previously for sale

A standing nude

Eugène Brands | Woman, oil on paper, 21.0 x 22.9 cm, signed u.l. and on the reverse and dated 7.55

Eugène Brands

painting • previously for sale

Woman

Eugène Brands | Two trees, oil on paper laid down on board, 22.1 x 25.7 cm, signed l.l. and painted 12.53

Eugène Brands

painting • previously for sale

Two trees

Eugène Brands | Composition, oil on canvas, 60.0 x 50.4 cm, signed l.c. and dated 10/49

Eugène Brands

painting • previously for sale

Composition

Eugène Brands | Vogel en maan, oil on paper, 25.5 x 26.5 cm, signed l.l. and dated 4.56

Eugène Brands

painting • previously for sale

Vogel en maan

Eugène Brands | Landscape with a bridge, oil on paper laid down on board, 41.1 x 50.8 cm, signed l.r. and dated 6.59

Eugène Brands

painting • previously for sale

Landscape with a bridge

Eugène Brands | A castle, oil on paper, 27.0 x 36.0 cm, signed l.r. and dated 12.51

Eugène Brands

painting • previously for sale

A castle

Eugène Brands | A farmer and chickens, oil on paper laid down on painter's board, 31.0 x 33.5 cm, signed u.l. and dated 5.56

Eugène Brands

painting • previously for sale

A farmer and chickens

Eugène Brands | A child in a summer landscape, oil on paper laid down on painter's board, 42.5 x 50.3 cm, signed l.l. and dated 2.1960

Eugène Brands

painting • previously for sale

A child in a summer landscape

Eugène Brands | A snow-covered landscape, oil on paper laid down on painter's board, 18.0 x 44.0 cm, signed l.l. and dated 4.57

Eugène Brands

painting • previously for sale

A snow-covered landscape

Eugène Brands | The artist's eye, oil on paper, 10.0 x 22.5 cm, signed l.r. and painted in 1956

Eugène Brands

painting • previously for sale

The artist's eye

Eugène Brands | Free movement, oil on cardboard, 50.0 x 55.0 cm, signed l.r. and dated '63

Eugène Brands

painting • previously for sale

Free movement

Eugène Brands | Girl in yellow dress, oil on canvas, 30.0 x 30.0 cm, signed u.r. and on the reverse and dated 11.53

Eugène Brands

painting • previously for sale

Girl in yellow dress

Eugène Brands | Nightmare, oil on paper, 36.7 x 47.0 cm, signed l.l. and on the reverse and dated '64

Eugène Brands

painting • previously for sale

Nightmare

Eugène Brands | Bird, screenprint on paper, 35.0 x 45.0 cm, signed l.r. (in black crayon)

Eugène Brands

prints & multiples • previously for sale

Bird

Eugène Brands | Landscape, gouache on board, 30.8 x 28.3 cm, signed l.l. and dated '73

Eugène Brands

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Landscape

Eugène Brands | Mating butterflies, gouache on paper, 49.2 x 31.1 cm, signed l.r. and dated '63

Eugène Brands

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Mating butterflies

Eugène Brands | Composition, gouache on paper, 37.0 x 44.0 cm, gesigneerd verso

Eugène Brands

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Composition

Eugène Brands | Panta Rei, gouache on board, 69.8 x 54.5 cm, signed l.r. and on the reverse 19-3-62

Eugène Brands

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Panta Rei

Eugène Brands | The Summer, gouache on paper, 39.7 x 54.7 cm, signed l.r. and dated '75

Eugène Brands

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

The Summer

Eugène Brands | Opaal (Opal), gouache on paper, 49.5 x 53.0 cm, signed reverse and dated on the reverse 4.VIII.1993

Eugène Brands

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Opaal (Opal)

Eugène Brands | Mysterious Universe, gouache and collage on cardboard, 42.8 x 35.0 cm, signed l.l. with initials and verso dated 24 X '99-1

Eugène Brands

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Mysterious Universe

Eugène Brands | Double Triangle, gouache on paper, 37.5 x 43.4 cm, signed l.l. with initials and on the reverse 17.VII 1991

Eugène Brands

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Double Triangle

Eugène Brands | Black pyramid, gouache on paper, 44.0 x 49.5 cm, signed l.r. with initials and on the reverse in full and dated 23.VII.1990 on the reverse

Eugène Brands

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Black pyramid

Eugène Brands | Dawn: a composition, gouache on paper, 52.1 x 61.9 cm, signed reverse and dated  7.X.1989 on the reverse

Eugène Brands

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Dawn: a composition

Eugène Brands | Black table, gouache on paper, 34.3 x 48.8 cm, signed l.l. with initials and dated 1987

Eugène Brands

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Black table

Eugène Brands | Sunset II, gouache on paper, 50.7 x 54.7 cm, signed l.r. with initials and dated 25 February 1985 on the reverse

Eugène Brands

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Sunset II

Eugène Brands | A handpainted vase, ink, wax crayons and oil on paper, 36.3 x 30.6 cm, signed l.r. and dated 10.59

Eugène Brands

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

A handpainted vase

Eugène Brands | Kinderen spelend, gouache on paper, 18.2 x 50.0 cm, signed l.l. and dated 3.59

Eugène Brands

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Kinderen spelend

Eugène Brands | One blue day, gouache on paper, 27.8 x 32.6 cm, signed u.r. and dated '6.56

Eugène Brands

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

One blue day

Eugène Brands | Ordinary seaman, gouache on paper, 23.6 x 27.8 cm, signed l.l. and on the reverse and dated 1.54

Eugène Brands

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Ordinary seaman

Eugène Brands | La nuit, gouache on paper, 26.0 x 26.0 cm, signed on the reverse and dated 1991 on the reverse

Eugène Brands

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

La nuit

Eugène Brands | Red window, gouache on cardboard, 28.0 x 19.5 cm, signed on the reverse and dated 1995

Eugène Brands

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Red window

Eugène Brands | Composition aux noir, rouge et bleu, gouache on paper, 16.5 x 24.5 cm, signed on the reverse and dated on the reverse

Eugène Brands

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Composition aux noir, rouge et bleu

Eugène Brands | Magic Center, gouache on paper, 23.0 x 30.0 cm, signed l.l. with initials and on the reverse and dated 15/2/1992 and on the reverse

Eugène Brands

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Magic Center

Eugène Brands | Cosmic composition, gouache on paper, 19.7 x 24.0 cm, signed l.r. and dated 7/4 7

Eugène Brands

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Cosmic composition

Eugène Brands | Abstract composition, gouache on paper, 15.7 x 35.4 cm, signed l.l. and dated '69

Eugène Brands

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Abstract composition

Eugène Brands | Composition, gouache on paper, 27.6 x 26.1 cm, signed l.r. and on the reverse and dated '66 and on the reverse

Eugène Brands

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Composition

Eugène Brands | Composition, gouache on paper, 23.8 x 32.2 cm, signed l.r. and on the reverse and dated '67 and on the reverse

Eugène Brands

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Composition

Eugène Brands | Garden, gouache on paper, 34.0 x 44.7 cm, signed l.l. with initials and dated 1984 on the reverse

Eugène Brands

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Garden

Eugène Brands | Abstract landscape, gouache on paper, 9.5 x 21.9 cm, signed l.l. and dated '75

Eugène Brands

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Abstract landscape

Eugène Brands | Composition, gouache on paper, 38.2 x 49.6 cm, signed l.r. with initials and on the reverse and dated 17 VII '80 on the reverse

Eugène Brands

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

Composition

Eugène Brands | World and sun, gouache on paper, 54.0 x 63.5 cm, signed l.r. and dated '70

Eugène Brands

watercolour • drawing • previously for sale

World and sun

Eugène Brands | Guitar, gouache and collage on paper on board, 26.5 x 18.5 cm, signed l.r. and dated 5/47

Eugène Brands

painting • previously for sale

Guitar

Eugène Brands | Children in the mountains, 40.3 x 35.2 cm, signed u.l. and dated 7.54

Eugène Brands

painting • previously for sale

Children in the mountains


for salepaintings, watercolours, drawings and prints & multiples by Eugène Brands


Eugène Brands | Woman in a landscape, oil on paper, 35.0 x 46.2 cm, signed l.r. and dated 3.57

Eugène Brands

painting • for sale

Woman in a landscape

Eugène Brands | Flying fish, gouache and oil on paper, 45.9 x 49.1 cm, signed u.l. and dated 3.58

Eugène Brands

painting • for sale

Flying fish

Eugène Brands | Toren in landschap (Tower in landscape), oil on paper, 21.5 x 22.5 cm, signed l.r. and dated 5.56

Eugène Brands

painting • for sale

Toren in landschap (Tower in landscape)

Eugène Brands | Mysterious Universe, oil on canvas, 55.0 x 70.5 cm, signed l.r. and dated '71 on the reverse

Eugène Brands

painting • for sale

Mysterious Universe

Eugène Brands | Bird, oil on paper, 15.0 x 37.0 cm, signed u.l. and dated 4.57

Eugène Brands

painting • for sale

Bird

Eugène Brands | The sun, oil on canvas, 85.0 x 100.2 cm, signed l.l. and dated on the reverse 1979

Eugène Brands

painting • for sale

The sun

Eugène Brands | '1000 sterren boven het bos' (1000 stars above the forest), gouache on paper, 44.3 x 49.6 cm, signed l.l. and dated 4.56

Eugène Brands

watercolour • drawing • for sale

'1000 sterren boven het bos' (1000 stars above the forest)

Eugène Brands | Landschap met wolkenlucht (Landscape with cloudy sky), gouache on paper, 67.4 x 91.0 cm, signed on the reverse and dated on the reverse 16.I.1971

Eugène Brands

watercolour • drawing • for sale

Landschap met wolkenlucht (Landscape with cloudy sky)

Eugène Brands | Composition, gouache on paper, 22.1 x 20.7 cm, signed l.r. and dated on the reverse 14.II.1967

Eugène Brands

watercolour • drawing • for sale

Composition

Eugène Brands | Chimney, gouache on paper, 49.5 x 37.2 cm, signed l.l. with initials

Eugène Brands

watercolour • drawing • for sale

Chimney

Eugène Brands | Japonais II: Rising moon, gouache on paper, 17.5 x 48.0 cm, signed l.r. with initials and dated '89

Eugène Brands

watercolour • drawing • for sale

Japonais II: Rising moon

Eugène Brands | Landscape, gouache on paper, 33.0 x 37.5 cm, signed l.r. and dated '66

Eugène Brands

watercolour • drawing • for sale

Landscape

Eugène Brands | The mother-of-pearl box, gouache on paper, 26.7 x 34.8 cm, signed l.l. and dated 10.53

Eugène Brands

watercolour • drawing • for sale

The mother-of-pearl box

Eugène Brands | Panta rei; everything flows, gouache on paper, 41.0 x 33.4 cm, signed l.l. with initials and dated on the reverse 1986

Eugène Brands

watercolour • drawing • for sale

Panta rei; everything flows

Eugène Brands | Rijzende zon (Rising sun), gouache on paper, 43.0 x 44.8 cm, signed l.r. with initials and dated on the reverse 1985

Eugène Brands

watercolour • drawing • for sale

Rijzende zon (Rising sun)

Eugène Brands | Composition against a black background, gouache on paper, 38.0 x 30.0 cm, signed l.c. and dated on the reverse 1.8.1968

Eugène Brands

watercolour • drawing • for sale

Composition against a black background

Eugène Brands | The artist's New Year's Card 1966, gouache on paper, 16.0 x 49.0 cm, signed l.r. and dated '65

Eugène Brands

watercolour • drawing • for sale

The artist's New Year's Card 1966

Eugène Brands | Park by night, gouache on paper, 43.2 x 53.4 cm, signed l.r. and dated '66

Eugène Brands

watercolour • drawing • for sale

Park by night

Eugène Brands | Free movement, gouache on board, 50.0 x 55.0 cm, signed l.r. and dated '63

Eugène Brands

watercolour • drawing • for sale

Free movement


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