Pierre Alechinsky - Composition - Original Lithograph From the literary review ''XXe Siècle'' 1960 Dimensions: 32 x 24 cm Publisher: G. di San Lazzaro. Biography Pierre Alechinsky was born in Brussels in 1927. In the immediate post-war period, he studied typography and illustration at the National School of Architecture and Decorative Arts of Cambre (Brussels). In 1945, Alechinsky discovered the work of Michaux, Dubuffet, surrealists and became friend with the art critic Jacques Putman. His first personal exhibition is organized in 1947. He met Dotremont in 1949 and adhered to the movement Cobra this same year (Asger Jorn, Karel Appel); he was one of the most active members until the Cobra’s dissolution in 1951. Alechinsky participated in the first International Exhibition of Cobra at the Stedjelijk Museum in Amsterdam. In 1954 he met the Chinese painter Wallace Ting who played an important role in the development of its work. In the 50’s the artist stayed in The Far East, then in The United States; he was interested in the Japanese calligraphy and in the Action Painting. Both will influence durably his work. Alechinsky painted, on the ground, the interlacing of curves, figures and non figures, which are mostly encircled with a frame painted by small compartments filled with narrative or rhythmic motives, drawn in the Indian ink. Alechinsky created suites, often very colored, in his painting and also in his graphic work. This last one began in the excitement of the Atelier 17 with Stanley William Hayter who will drive him and will always keep a place of choice in the expression of the artist. Alechinsky creates a lot of etchings and lithographs. Fond of books, he illustrates poems and texts (Cioran, Butor, Yves Bonnefoy, André Frénaud, Tardieu etc…) and he publishes numerous books. In 1983, Alechinsky becomes a painting teacher in Paris at the Ecole Supérieure des Beaux Arts de Paris. Since The 80’s , the artist goes on his graphic art on a big variety of supports. In the same time, he begins being a lot of in demand by Public boards (Palais Bourbon, Hall du Ministère des Finances etc…). Exhibition and International retrospectives celebrate him, all over the world museums and galleries welcome his work. Pierre Alechinsky manages at once his work pictorial and literally (poetry, reports around his work). He lives and works in Bougival.