This monumental abstract canvas by Swiss artist Willi Behrndt (160 × 180 cm) captures the raw physicality and layered density that define the most compelling strands of European postwar abstraction. Executed in a palette of greys, blacks, and muted silvers, the surface unfolds as a restless field of interlacing marks—at once calligraphic and architectural.
Rather than pursuing chromatic harmony, Behrndt constructs a visual terrain charged with tension, where light emerges through opacity and movement is inscribed into every gesture. The painting reads as a palimpsest of forms—simultaneously structured and improvised—revealing an artist deeply attuned to the expressive potential of abstraction in its most elemental register.
The monumental scale amplifies its presence, positioning the work as both an object of contemplation and a commanding spatial intervention. For advanced collectors, this is not only a rare opportunity to acquire a large-format masterwork by Behrndt but also to secure a piece that exemplifies the enduring intensity of postwar European abstraction.
Measurements:
160 × 180 cm
About the Artist:
Willi Behrndt (1919–2013) was a Swiss painter whose career spanned the crucial decades of European modernism. Trained in Zürich, he initially worked in graphic arts before turning fully to painting. His trajectory took him through Geneva and the South of France before settling permanently in Zürich in 1954. Behrndt developed a distinct abstract language, merging gestural mark-making with structural rigor, oscillating between dense expressionism and meditative spatial balance.
His work reflects the European postwar search for form and meaning—bridging personal expression with broader aesthetic currents of the mid-20th century. Today, Behrndt’s large-scale abstractions are considered increasingly rare and desirable within advanced collecting circles, resonating with connoisseurs seeking works of both historical weight and contemporary relevance.
This monumental abstract canvas by Swiss artist Willi Behrndt (160 × 180 cm) captures the raw physicality and layered density that define the most compelling strands of European postwar abstraction. Executed in a palette of greys, blacks, and muted silvers, the surface unfolds as a restless field of interlacing marks—at once calligraphic and architectural.
Rather than pursuing chromatic harmony, Behrndt constructs a visual terrain charged with tension, where light emerges through opacity and movement is inscribed into every gesture. The painting reads as a palimpsest of forms—simultaneously structured and improvised—revealing an artist deeply attuned to the expressive potential of abstraction in its most elemental register.
The monumental scale amplifies its presence, positioning the work as both an object of contemplation and a commanding spatial intervention. For advanced collectors, this is not only a rare opportunity to acquire a large-format masterwork by Behrndt but also to secure a piece that exemplifies the enduring intensity of postwar European abstraction.
Measurements:
160 × 180 cm
About the Artist:
Willi Behrndt (1919–2013) was a Swiss painter whose career spanned the crucial decades of European modernism. Trained in Zürich, he initially worked in graphic arts before turning fully to painting. His trajectory took him through Geneva and the South of France before settling permanently in Zürich in 1954. Behrndt developed a distinct abstract language, merging gestural mark-making with structural rigor, oscillating between dense expressionism and meditative spatial balance.
His work reflects the European postwar search for form and meaning—bridging personal expression with broader aesthetic currents of the mid-20th century. Today, Behrndt’s large-scale abstractions are considered increasingly rare and desirable within advanced collecting circles, resonating with connoisseurs seeking works of both historical weight and contemporary relevance.
These are antique pieces and are sold as such. Although VV does its best to highlight major flaws, minor imperfections should be expected reflecting the age and previous use of the piece.
