![Nicolas de Staël - Fontenay [1952]](http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5571/14874136032_180cdb2948_o.jpg)
Nicolas de Staël (January 5, 1914, Saint Petersburg – Antibes, March 16, 1955) was a French painter of Russian origin known for his use of a thick impasto and his highly abstract landscape painting, He also worked with collage, illustration and textiles. De Staël 's work was quickly recognised within the post-war art world, and he became one of the most influential artists of the 1950s. However, he moved away from abstraction in his later paintings, seeking a more French lyrical style, returning to representation (seascapes, footballers, jazz musicians, seagulls) at the end of his life.
[Sotheby’s, Paris - Oil on board, 12 x 22 cm]