Painting, 82 x 38.5 cm.
© SABAM Belgium, 2024, Fondazione Lucio Fontana
Collection: Fondazione Lucio Fontana.
In September 1957 the 25-year-old Verheyen
visits the modern metropolis of Milan for the
first time. There he forges contacts with artists
and gallery owners. In February 1958 he holds
his first exhibition in Milan’s Galleria Pater.
Verheyen describes that moment as ‘the start of
an immensely exciting story’. The Italian public
get to see his earliest paintings there. These are
notable for their cosmic or ‘labyrinthine’ style.
At that exhibition, Italian-Argentine artist Lucio
Fontana purchases this small painting. It is now
part of the Fondazione Lucio Fontana collection.
Fontana bought this work on the opening of the exhibition at Galleria Pater, 17 February 1958.
The work is on view on the installation photograph (on the right) by Sinigaglia.
Verheyen writes about this work to Yves Klein in his letter from 7 February 1959: Fontana, je le connais bien depuis assez de temps, il m’a acheté quelques peintures qui représentent encore une écriture.
Add to your list> Jef Verheyen.
> Exhibition: Jef Verheyen. Window on Infinity. KMSKA, Antwerpen, 23 March 2024 - 18 August 2024.
> Ensemble: Jef Verheyen - Works from the 1950s.
> Ensemble: Jef Verheyen - Public Collections.
> Ensemble: Jef Verheyen - OEUVRE.
> Ensemble: Window on Infinity - Room 02.
>Jef Verheyen, Ivo Michiels, Jef Verheyen di Ivo Michiels, 1957.Text, ink on paper.
>Jef Verheyen, Frank Philippi, Artist's scrapbook (Portfolio), 1948-1959.Book, collage.
>Jef Verheyen, Galleria Pater, Gian Sinigaglia, Installation 'Comhaire - Verheyen', 1958.Photography, photograph.
>Dieter Schwarz, Jef Verheyen, Bram Bogart, Englebert Van Anderlecht, Antwerpen/Bruxelles '60. Bram Bogart, Englebert Van Anderlecht, Jef Verheyen, 2002.Book, ink on paper.
>Jef Verheyen, Lucio Fontana, • 0721 • L'air est plein de ta chaleur, 1958.Painting, oil paint on canvas, 64 x 53 cm.
>Jef Verheyen, Lucio Fontana, • 813 • Les arbres roses (Pour mon ami Fontana), 1967.Painting, matt lacquer on fibreboard, mounted in a wooden square box, 72 x 72 cm.