Kompositie Nuit, 1959

Anne Bonnet was an early pioneer of abstract art in Belgium and co-founder of La Jeune Peinture Belge. La Jeune Peinture Belge and movements such as animism, action painting and existentialism brought new priorities and emphasis to the life and work of her generation of artists.

Bonnet too opted for complete freedom of expression. Her Komposition Nuit from 1959 shows an intuitive, geometric representation in soft colours. The period in which she painted this work was one in which she left animism behind and opted radically for extreme abstraction. Under Brusselmans’ influence, she evolved towards a soft modernism.

On the back of the work is written: “Je soussigné Louis Bonnet déclare et certifie que le tableau ci-contre a été peint par ma femme: Anne Bonnet. Louis Bonnet.” (“I, the undersigned Louis Bonnet, declare and confirm that the painting on the reverse was painted by my wife: Anne Bonnet. Louis Bonnet.”)

• This work is part of the museum’s main collection. It was included in the inventory of the donation from Jules and Irma Dhondt-Dhaenens that was compiled at the board meeting on 19.04.1969.