His entire body of work celebrates joy, freedom and dreams.
Born in Liège in 1922 to Dutch parents, Corneille co-founded the Cobra movement in 1948 — one of the great upheavals of post-war European art. Paintings, prints, tapestries, ceramics, sculptures: his body of work is immense, running through it a single thread — joy.
Corneille
(1922-2010)
Free, nomadic, sun-drenched.
A great traveler, he journeyed the world throughout his life in search of new sources of inspiration. Africa, Latin America, the Orient — each territory nourished a unique pictorial vocabulary, sun-drenched and generous. At the center of this universe: the bird. A totemic animal, bearer of myths, symbol of the bonds between peoples and cultures.
Corneille has rested since 2010 in Auvers-sur-Oise, alongside Vincent and Théo van Gogh. A final resting place that speaks volumes about his place in art history.
Artémus is editioning this sculpture in close collaboration with the artist’s estate, represented by his widow Natasha van Beverloo, in full respect of the work and spirit of the artist.
A sculpture born of a century of freedom.
Corneille’s bird is not a representation. It is a presence. Throughout his life, Corneille made the bird his alter ego — the free animal par excellence, bearer of myths, a bridge between cultures and continents.
This lost-wax cast bronze sculpture, produced by an art foundry recognized as a living heritage site, embodies the raw, sun-drenched energy of Corneille’s work. The semi-precious stone inlays — lapis lazuli and tourmaline — bring a colorful vibration to the dark bronze material, faithful to the artist’s pictorial universe. Limited to just 40 pieces, each one is delivered with its wooden case, a book, a numbered Fine Art print, and a certificate signed by the publisher and the artist’s estate.
