Angel Alonso

Estimate and odds: Ángel Alonso (1923–1994)

A painter between Spain and France

Born in Laredo, Cantabria, in 1923, Ángel Alonso went into exile in France in 1947 and settled permanently in Paris, where he lived until his death in 1994. Self-taught and close to certain post-war artists such as Pierre Tal Coat, he developed a demanding and unique body of work very early on, focusing on texture and colour. For many years, he deliberately kept his distance from the art market in order to preserve his independence and further his pictorial research.  

A language of matter and colour

Ángel Alonso's painting arises from a confrontation between nature and matter. Through dense textures and natural pigments, he conveys the telluric force of the world and the power of the creative gesture. His series of ‘coals’, inspired by the burnt fields of Beauce, illustrates this approach: the pictorial surface becomes both relief and landscape. Alonso seeks in colour and matter a space of resonance between the visible and the invisible, between the organic and the spiritual. 

How can you recognise a work by Ángel Alonso?

Alonso's works are distinguished by thick, tactile material, worked with a knife or by hand, mixing earth, ash and fibres. Large areas of black, white or yellow collide in dramatic tension, evoking both light and combustion. From the 1980s onwards, his painting opened up to broader chromatic fields where colour became writing. The balance between structure and energy gives his work a rare density, straddling the boundary between painting and sculpture. 

Acknowledgements and exhibitions

From the 1950s onwards, Ángel Alonso exhibited in Paris and collaborated with galleries such as André Schoeller and Berès. His work was supported by several art critics who praised the depth and radical nature of his approach. He participated in numerous group and solo exhibitions in France, Spain and Germany. His works feature in public and private collections, notably at the Centre national des arts plastiques. Today, his work is gradually being rediscovered, thanks to several recent exhibitions and publications. 

Estimates and odds

Auctioning a work by Ángel Alonso

Our specialists in the Post-war & Contemporary Art department assist collectors and art lovers with the sale, appraisal and valuation of works by Ángel Alonso. They travel throughout France and Europe in collaboration with our regional representative offices to provide valuations and appraisals of your works.  

Prior to an appointment, you can also submit your valuation request along with a description, photos and any available documents relating to your property using the online form, or directly by email to our specialist.  

Aguttes' Post-war & Contemporary Art department organises several sales a year dedicated to major modern and contemporary artists: Soulages, Hartung, Zao Wou-Ki, Chu Teh-Chun, Kuroda, Alonso and many others.

Contact our expert today for a free valuation of your Ángel Alonso artwork and benefit from personalised support right up to the auction.