“Noon Landscape” by Nicolas De Staël contains earth, water and sky elements that communicate the artist’s concrete perceptions of the outside world, as well as his internal, abstract fantasies. An artist born in the former Soviet Union who settled in Paris, De Staël (1914 – 1955) initially painted still lifes and portraits. Developing an abstract style interwoven with realistic components, he worked primarily with a palette knife, creating thick, encrusted blocks of color. A year after his arrival in the city, De Staël exhibited with artistic luminary Wassily Kandinsky. Despite his tragic suicide at age 41, De Staël lives on as one of the one of the most influential post-war European artists.

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