JEAN PAUL RIOPELLE (1923-2002) Animal couché (Abstract Composition) 1972

Jean Paul Riopelle (1923–2002)
Animal couché (Abstract Composition), 1972
Colour lithograph
Image: 43 × 49 cm | Framed: 69 × 72.5 cm (with conservation mount)
Signed with artist’s stamp in margin

Jean Paul Riopelle was a leading figure in post-war abstraction and a key member of the French-Canadian avant-garde associated with the Automatistes and later European lyrical abstraction. His work is characterised by energetic gesture, rich colour, and an emphasis on spontaneous, physical mark-making.

Animal couché (Abstract Composition) reflects Riopelle’s mature approach to printmaking, where the dynamism of his painted work is translated into layered colour lithography. The composition suggests an underlying organic structure—hinted at in the title—yet remains resolutely abstract, built from interlocking forms and expressive passages of colour. The result is a sense of movement and density, as if forms are continuously emerging and dissolving across the surface.

Created in 1972, this work demonstrates Riopelle’s ability to balance control and spontaneity within a disciplined print medium. The use of lithography allows for subtle tonal shifts and complex overlays, echoing the texture and intensity of his large-scale paintings.

Signed with the artist’s stamp in the margin, the print is presented in a conservation mount, preserving both its vibrancy and its material integrity.