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Richard Mortensen
"Immediately after the war, everyone asked the question of what the correct definition of abstract art was."
+ Stamp
Stamp by Richard Mortensen
The publication of a postal stamp is often a homage paid by a nation to a place, an event, a remarkable cause or a character which count. The painters and other artists do not escape from this rule. Some are however "forgotten" of postal art. Here, gathered below (French or foreign), emitted stamps (206) or simple studies of stamp (224) in homage to the artists represented on our website. The first French stamp was emitted in 1849, England preceded us by ten years. There is often a share of voyage in this small form of shape paper. The stamp circulates, sails, flies away, it makes dream, then dream a little. M.C.
When the stamp is really emitted, the artist name is preceded of an asterisk (*). It is certain that we do not know each stamp emitted for such or such artist; do not hesitate with us to make known them!
Discover all the stampsNotes of biography
Born in 1910 in Copenhagen, the Danish painter Richard Mortensen is one of the pioneers of abstract art in Denmark. He trained at the Royal Academy of Beaux-Arts in his native town from 1931-1932, before he decided to be self-taught. In the beginning of the 30’s, the young man goes to Berlin; has a particular interest for the works of Kandinsky and Joan Miro and is directed towards the Bauhaus, constructivism and surrealism.
Mortensen practices a spontaneous painting, between abstraction and representation, and then evolves towards constructions more rigorous and rhythmical. Little by little, his works become radically geometric. From the beginning of his artistic career, Richard Mortensen constructs, at the same time as his painted works, important graphic works. The artist plays, in Denmark, a premier role in making modern art known to the public; he founds the revue ‘Linien’ (The Line), a revue which groups painters that endeavour to stay in touch with the artists in all of Europe during these troubled years.
After the Second World War, the artist joins the group ‘Helhesten’ a group that is led by Asger Jorn and that will cast the preliminary bases that will become ‘Cobra’. The art of Richard Mortensen, geometric abstraction of perfect precision, will quickly distance itself from this movement.
The artist moves to France, to Suresnes, in 1947 where he will stay15 years; he lives, with the sculptor Robert Jacobsen, in the House of Danish artists, and becomes a close compatriot to the artists at the Denise René Gallery (Herbin, Vasarely, etc.). Mortensen participates in numerous group exhibitions in France (Réalités Nouvelles, Salon de Mai, etc.) and abroad (the Venice Biennale, Documenta de Kassel, Stockholm, Helsinki, Brussels, Rio de Janeiro, etc.) and exposes, under an individual title, regularly with Denise René.
The art of Mortensen is characterized by their clarity and simplicity of forms that are carried out by their dynamic relationship, with a variety of colors that are especially delicate and bright.
Richard Mortensen died at the beginning of 1993 in Denmark.
Artists on display
The art and the artists display: proclamations, galleries, museums, personal or collective exhibitions. On walls or in shop windows, wise or rebels, posters warn, argue, show. Some were specially conceived by an artist for such or such event, other, colder, have only the letter.
Some were created in lithographic technic, most are simple offset reproductions. They are many those who like collecting these rectangles of paper, monochrome or in games of colours, in matt paper or brilliant, with many words or almost dumb.
We are happy also to be able to greet, by this pages, mythical galleries as those of Denise René, Louis Carré, Claude Bernard, Berheim Jeune, Maeght, Pierre Loeb and others.
Complete work(s)
Complete work(s)
*« L’oeuvre graphique, 1942-1993 », Jan Wurtz Frandsen, Ed. Statens Museum for Kunst, Copenhague, 1995
All the complete works
Bibliographic track and more
To read about the artist :
- « R. Mortensen, R. J. », O. Sarvig, J.H. Schultz A/S-Tokanten, Copenhague, 1946
- « Richard Mortensen », Julien Alvard, in Cimaise, 1ère série n° 3, janvier 1954
- « Mortensen », L. Degan, cat., Ed. Galerie Denise René, Paris, 1956
- « Mortensen », J. C. Lambert, cat., Ed. Galerie Denise René, Paris, 1962
- « Richard Mortensen - Sandhedens Øjeblik », E. Johansson, Ed. Hasselbalch, Cop., 1965
- « R. M. som scenograf 1942-1946 », J. W. Frandsen, cat., Ed. Statens M. for Kunst, 1984
- « Richard Mortensen, Collages 1990-1991 », Teddy Brunius, Ed. Atlantis, 1992
- « Painting 1929-1993 », Pontus Hulten et autres, S. M. for Kunst (Dan.), 1994
- « R Mortensen - Maleri 1929-1993 », P. Hulten, cat., Ed. Aarhus kunstmuseum, 1994
- « Mortensen », coll., cat., Ed. Galerie Denise René, Paris, 1998
To read from the artist :
- No books referenced.
Website :
No website dedicated to the artist.More :
+ Stamp
Stamp by Richard Mortensen
The publication of a postal stamp is often a homage paid by a nation to a place, an event, a remarkable cause or a character which count. The painters and other artists do not escape from this rule. Some are however "forgotten" of postal art. Here, gathered below (French or foreign), emitted stamps (206) or simple studies of stamp (224) in homage to the artists represented on our website. The first French stamp was emitted in 1849, England preceded us by ten years. There is often a share of voyage in this small form of shape paper. The stamp circulates, sails, flies away, it makes dream, then dream a little. M.C.
When the stamp is really emitted, the artist name is preceded of an asterisk (*). It is certain that we do not know each stamp emitted for such or such artist; do not hesitate with us to make known them!
Discover all the stampsArt movements
+ NEW REALITIES / 1946-1956 / Etienne Béothy, Marcelle Cahn, etc.
All art movements
See & discover
Beyond works currently in stock, it seemed to me useful to combine business with pleasure by letting you discover others works by artists in my gallery. These artworks, now sold or removed from our website, have been in our stock in the past.
These pages will undoubtedly make it possible for some of you to associate an image with its title or the other way round, for others it will be a good time to discover more on such and such artist. For the sake of confidentiality – the pieces being no longer available – we won't display neither their numbering or their price. For whatever reason, make sure to visit this amazing art database with to date 6441 online works just for your pleasure! Michelle Champetier
See & discover