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Josef Sima (1891-1971) Terre De Silence, 1952
Details
Signed ‘J. ŠÍMA 52’ (lower right); signed, titled and dated ‘ŠÍMA 1952’ and ‘TERRE DE SILENCE’ (on the reverse of the canvas).
Sizes:
Artwork: 46 × 55 cm | 18.1 × 21.7 in
Executed in 1952, this evocative composition exemplifies the lyrical abstraction of Josef Šíma. Through a delicate, atmospheric interplay of muted tones and fluid gestural lines, Šíma constructs a dreamlike architectural landscape that seems to emerge from the canvas itself.
His signature light-filled palette, combined with the structural rhythm of the building forms, creates a serene, meditative space that blurs the boundary between physical structure and metaphysical vision.
This work captures the quintessence of Šíma’s post-war period, where the artist sought to unify the internal realm of the imagination with the external world of objects.
The ethereal application of paint, layered in translucent washes, imbues the scene with a sense of quiet permanence, inviting the viewer into a timeless realm of contemplative silence. It is a masterful study in spatial perception and the poetic potential of the abstract image.
Provenance
Acquired in the 1950s by the family of the previous owner;
Thence by descent to the previous owner;
Acquired from the above by the present owner;
Private Collection, Spain.
Condition Report
Overall good condition. Please contact us to request a detailed Condition Report.
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Josef Sima
Josef Šíma was one of the biggest names in modern Czech art and a key figure of the European avant-garde. Studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague, Šíma moved to Paris in the 1920s where he befriended poets and artists of the Surrealist and abstract movements. His early work was influenced by cubism and symbolism, later evolving into lyrical abstraction searching for metaphysical light and cosmic harmony.
Šíma’s art went beyond the material to express a deep spiritual vision. Through colour fields and ethereal compositions he wanted to reveal the invisible forces of nature and existence – what he called “poésie de la lumière”. His paintings are a meditative dialogue between matter and mystery, science and transcendence, so he is one of the most poetic abstract artists of the 20th century.
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