This original mixed media work by Paul Antonius, developed between 1988 and 1994, exemplifies the artist's material-driven approach to abstraction and figuration. Constructed from layered handmade paper, fabric elements, and acrylic, the composition operates at the intersection of collage and low-relief — where surface and structure become inseparable.
The image suggests a fragmented facial presence, emerging through a nuanced interplay of soft blue tonalities, muted red passages, and subtle yellow accents. Rather than defining the figure explicitly, Antonius allows it to materialize through absence, incision, and layered form. Cut-outs and irregular edges introduce spatial depth, transforming the work into a sculptural field rather than a purely pictorial surface.
This balance between construction and reduction generates a quiet yet compelling tension. The restrained palette emphasizes texture and materiality over color, while the interplay of solid forms and voids creates a rhythmic visual structure that invites close, sustained viewing.
Rooted in the expanded language of postwar European collage, this work reinterprets the traditional notion of portraiture as a process of fragmentation and reconstruction — where identity is suggested rather than described. A tactile and formally resolved work that occupies the boundary between painting, sculpture, and works on paper.
Measurements
40 x 40 cm
About the Artist
Paul Antonius is a European artist known for his mixed media constructions that combine paper, textile elements, and painted surfaces. Active in the late twentieth century, his work explores the relationship between material, structure, and subtle figuration. His layered compositions extend the language of collage into a spatial and sculptural dimension, aligning his practice with broader developments in postwar European art. His works are held in private collections and are valued for their tactile presence, formal restraint, and enduring contemporary relevance.
This original mixed media work by Paul Antonius, developed between 1988 and 1994, exemplifies the artist's material-driven approach to abstraction and figuration. Constructed from layered handmade paper, fabric elements, and acrylic, the composition operates at the intersection of collage and low-relief — where surface and structure become inseparable.
The image suggests a fragmented facial presence, emerging through a nuanced interplay of soft blue tonalities, muted red passages, and subtle yellow accents. Rather than defining the figure explicitly, Antonius allows it to materialize through absence, incision, and layered form. Cut-outs and irregular edges introduce spatial depth, transforming the work into a sculptural field rather than a purely pictorial surface.
This balance between construction and reduction generates a quiet yet compelling tension. The restrained palette emphasizes texture and materiality over color, while the interplay of solid forms and voids creates a rhythmic visual structure that invites close, sustained viewing.
Rooted in the expanded language of postwar European collage, this work reinterprets the traditional notion of portraiture as a process of fragmentation and reconstruction — where identity is suggested rather than described. A tactile and formally resolved work that occupies the boundary between painting, sculpture, and works on paper.
Measurements
40 x 40 cm
About the Artist
Paul Antonius is a European artist known for his mixed media constructions that combine paper, textile elements, and painted surfaces. Active in the late twentieth century, his work explores the relationship between material, structure, and subtle figuration. His layered compositions extend the language of collage into a spatial and sculptural dimension, aligning his practice with broader developments in postwar European art. His works are held in private collections and are valued for their tactile presence, formal restraint, and enduring contemporary relevance.
