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Ghostly Calligraphies

Though calligraphy is the art of writing, that art is measured by the interpretation of the beholder. Using the tools of a writer, whether that be the brush, ink, paint or pen the artist can create a connection between symbol and gesture. Unsurprisingly, calligraphy finds a home in the Abstract Expressionism movement that followed the end of World War II. The likes of Jasper Johns, Mark Rothko, Helen Frankenthaler and Franz Kline sought to create deeper connections with the self and express what was reserved for the interior in a much more honest way. But that interior may be filled with an interest in the fantastic, plagued by grief or consumed by miserabilism. Though Kline is the artist from the movement of Abstract Expressionism most associated with the use of calligraphy, Bernard Buffet, featured here on Artsper, also began to convey the personality of his interior by 1947 – after war had ended. The Parisian-born Buffet tried to save money and used very little paint on his canvases. Therefore there was little variety in color, and mostly grey, black and green tones are seen in his portraits. The grey faces, wrinkled foreheads, thinning hair and contracted hands took on a crucified, ghostly appearance. Whilst the likes of Bruno Mallart modernizes his version of ghostly calligraphies by merging it with digital techniques. 

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Painting, Oblivion, David Paul Kay

David Paul Kay

Painting - 120 x 150 x 4 cm Painting - 47.2 x 59.1 x 1.6 inch

$17,119

Painting, Lifespan, David Paul Kay

David Paul Kay

Painting - 127 x 127 x 1.9 cm Painting - 50 x 50 x 0.7 inch

$14,674

Painting, Botanica, David Paul Kay

David Paul Kay

Painting - 81.2 x 170 x 4 cm Painting - 32 x 66.9 x 1.6 inch

$15,896

Fine Art Drawings, Tête, Geneviève Seillé

Geneviève Seillé

Fine Art Drawings - 72.5 x 45 cm Fine Art Drawings - 28.5 x 17.7 inch

$3,546

Painting, Absinthe, Mehdi Mirbagheri

Mehdi Mirbagheri

Painting - 50 x 40 x 1 cm Painting - 19.7 x 15.7 x 0.4 inch

$1,834

Print, Fantasy, Faile

Faile

Print - 76 x 61 cm Print - 29.9 x 24 inch

$856

Painting, Dreams, Mana Key

Mana Key

Painting - 50 x 50 x 2 cm Painting - 19.7 x 19.7 x 0.8 inch

$428

Painting, The for dog, Mana Key

Mana Key

Painting - 31 x 31 x 5 cm Painting - 12.2 x 12.2 x 2 inch

$465

Painting, Spirms, Mana Key

Mana Key

Painting - 40 x 40 x 2 cm Painting - 15.7 x 15.7 x 0.8 inch

$465

Painting, Gentleman, Grégoire Devin

Grégoire Devin

Painting - 100.1 x 100.1 x 4.6 cm Painting - 39.4 x 39.4 x 1.8 inch

$7,200

Print, l'aube, Artiste Ouvrier

Artiste Ouvrier

Print - 40 x 40 x 0.1 cm Print - 15.7 x 15.7 x 0 inch

$208

Print, L'aube, Artiste Ouvrier

Artiste Ouvrier

Print - 70 x 70 x 0.1 cm Print - 27.6 x 27.6 x 0 inch

$428

Fine Art Drawings, Sans titre, Geneviève Seillé

Geneviève Seillé

Fine Art Drawings - 99.5 x 93.5 cm Fine Art Drawings - 39.2 x 36.8 inch

$5,869

Painting, L'aube, Artiste Ouvrier

Artiste Ouvrier

Painting - 120 x 120 x 2 cm Painting - 47.2 x 47.2 x 0.8 inch

$4,280

Painting, Purple sky, Artiste Ouvrier

Artiste Ouvrier

Painting - 120 x 120 x 2 cm Painting - 47.2 x 47.2 x 0.8 inch

$4,280

Painting, Sans titre, Monkeybird

Monkeybird

Painting - 240 x 250 x 2 cm Painting - 94.5 x 98.4 x 0.8 inch

$10,394

Fine Art Drawings, Tête #1627, Geneviève Seillé

Geneviève Seillé

Fine Art Drawings - 85.5 x 62 x 5 cm Fine Art Drawings - 33.7 x 24.4 x 2 inch

$3,913

Painting, Les Amants, David Paul Kay

David Paul Kay

Painting - 154 x 142 x 3 cm Painting - 60.6 x 55.9 x 1.2 inch

$19,565

Painting, You, David Paul Kay

You

David Paul Kay

Painting - 64 x 50 x 0.1 cm Painting - 25.2 x 19.7 x 0 inch

$4,035

Painting, Athéna, Artiste Ouvrier

Artiste Ouvrier

Painting - 30 x 30 cm Painting - 11.8 x 11.8 inch

$245

Painting, In and Out, Grégoire Devin

Grégoire Devin

Painting - 172.7 x 172.7 x 5.1 cm Painting - 68 x 68 x 2 inch

$14,400

Painting, Upside Down, Grégoire Devin

Grégoire Devin

Painting - 121.9 x 121.9 x 4.6 cm Painting - 48 x 48 x 1.8 inch

$9,600

Painting, Soline, Artiste Ouvrier

Artiste Ouvrier

Painting - 30 x 30 cm Painting - 11.8 x 11.8 inch

$245

Painting, Cadran, Monkeybird

Monkeybird

Painting - 135 x 92 x 4 cm Painting - 53.1 x 36.2 x 1.6 inch

$5,087

Painting, Cavalier, Monkeybird

Monkeybird

Painting - 70 x 70 x 6 cm Painting - 27.6 x 27.6 x 2.4 inch

$3,619

Painting, Totem, Fabien Verschaere

Fabien Verschaere

Painting - 55 x 46 x 4 cm Painting - 21.7 x 18.1 x 1.6 inch

$3,913

Painting, Judith II, Artiste Ouvrier

Artiste Ouvrier

Painting - 25 x 25 x 0.5 cm Painting - 9.8 x 9.8 x 0.2 inch

$245

Painting, Uni, Grégoire Devin

Uni

Grégoire Devin

Painting - 121.9 x 121.9 x 4.6 cm Painting - 48 x 48 x 1.8 inch

$9,600

Painting, In the Zone, David Paul Kay

David Paul Kay

Painting - 30.5 x 30.5 x 3 cm Painting - 12 x 12 x 1.2 inch

$550

Fine Art Drawings, Silence, Evelyne Postic

Evelyne Postic

Fine Art Drawings - 76 x 57 cm Fine Art Drawings - 29.9 x 22.4 inch

$3,057

Fine Art Drawings, Hand VI, Geneviève Seillé

Geneviève Seillé

Fine Art Drawings - 68 x 69 cm Fine Art Drawings - 26.8 x 27.2 inch

$3,546

Print, Hommage A Hef, Cren

Cren

Print - 55.9 x 55.9 cm Print - 22 x 22 inch

$220

Sculpture, Metamorphoses, Adele Moreau

Adele Moreau

Sculpture - 41 x 35.5 x 8 cm Sculpture - 16.1 x 14 x 3.1 inch

$963

Painting, So Nice, Grégoire Devin

Grégoire Devin

Painting - 160 x 160 x 5.1 cm Painting - 63 x 63 x 2 inch

$13,200

Print, Croco, Bruno Mallart

Bruno Mallart

Print - 62 x 118 cm Print - 24.4 x 46.5 inch

$978

Painting, Conteur 2, Monkeybird

Monkeybird

Painting - 250 x 150 x 4 cm Painting - 98.4 x 59.1 x 1.6 inch

$6,848

Painting, Conteur, Monkeybird

Monkeybird

Painting - 250 x 150 x 3 cm Painting - 98.4 x 59.1 x 1.2 inch

$6,848

Painting, Facies, Monkeybird

Monkeybird

Painting - 97 x 71.5 x 3 cm Painting - 38.2 x 28.1 x 1.2 inch

$3,668