The Formative Years and Artistic Evolution
Born in Saint-Gilles, Belgium, Antoine Mortier began his journey in the arts at the age of fifteen as an apprentice in an ornamental sculpture workshop. Following the advice of his employer, he enrolled in the Academy, where he studied modeling, perspective, and drawing from antiquity. During this period, he balanced his artistic pursuits with various trades, working as a furrier and later as a laborer for a frame maker to sustain himself. His early years were marked by a diverse range of studies, including charcoal nudes and sketches from life, alongside his work as a chorister at the Théâtre de la Monnaie.
His stylistic progression moved from figurative works, such as Le pain noir (1944) and Les flacons (1946), toward abstraction. His compositions often featured forms outlined in black, and his large-scale ink washes expressed a transition from figuration to abstraction. His work Figure bleue couchée (1949) is noted for its connection to Action painting. While his technique involved bold strokes, his approach was characterized by the synthesis of a subject through rigorous signs.
Exhibitions and Public Works
Mortier was a member of the group La Jeune Peinture belge and co-founded Groupe Espace. His work has been exhibited in various international locations, including Paris and Amsterdam. His pieces have been held in several collections, such as the Guggenheim in New York, the Centre Pompidou in Paris, and the Musées royaux des beaux-arts in Brussels.
In addition to his paintings and drawings, Mortier contributed to public art and design. In 1953, he worked on the coloring of apartments in Evere. Later, in 1988, he inaugurated two steel high reliefs at the Yser station for the Brussels transport network, STIB, which commemorated the war of 14-18.
Selected works include:
