Hans Hartung, Photo by Denise Colomb
Hans Hartung (1904–1989) was a German-French painter renowned for his dynamic and gestural abstraction. A pioneer of Art Informel and Tachisme, he developed a distinctive style that balanced spontaneity with precision. Born in Leipzig, Germany, Hartung initially studied philosophy and art history at Leipzig University but later shifted his focus to painting, attending art academies in Leipzig, Dresden and Munich. His early influences included Rembrandt, Goya and French modernists like Matisse and Braque, whose works he encountered at a pivotal Dresden exhibition in 1926.
By 18, Hartung had already embraced abstraction, creating series of watercolors and charcoal compositions that would shape his artistic approach. Forced into exile by the Nazi regime, which labeled his art "degenerate," he settled in Paris in 1935. During World War II, he joined the French Foreign Legion and was severely injured, resulting in the amputation of his leg. After the war, Hartung resumed his art, acquiring French citizenship in 1946.
Hartung's work is marked by its emotional and gestural dynamism, achieved through innovative tools like spray guns, brooms and olive tree branches. While his paintings appear spontaneous, they were meticulously pre-planned, reflecting a deep interplay between chance and control. His late works, created from a wheelchair, were particularly vigorous and experimental, often completed in minutes with large-scale techniques.
A major figure in postwar abstraction, Hartung exhibited globally, with works featured in prestigious institutions like MoMA, the Guggenheim and the Centre Pompidou. He won numerous accolades, including the International Grand Prize for Painting at the 1960 Venice Biennale. Despite physical challenges later in life, his art continued to evolve, showcasing an enduring quest for innovation and vitality.