Will Kesseler
Encyclopedia
Will Kesseler was a Luxembourgian painter, considered to be one of nation’s best Colourists
.
He was born in Mersch
on 17 August 1899 and died in Luxembourg
on 24 September 1983.
After having taught art, he left the country for the former Belgian Congo
and Chad
, where he was employed as a project manager for various railway construction companies. These periods abroad deeply influenced his very varied artistic production, which includes still life, flowers, Congo and Luxembourg
landscapes, figures, nudes and abstract work.
After his rather academic beginnings, the artist, who received twice the Prix Grand-Duc Adolphe
, turned in 1951 to abstract painting. His Africa inspired gouaches are characterised, as are his other paintings, by expanses of solid colours, pure, vigorous, intense and luminous with strong bold contrasts in which yellow, blue, red and above all contrasting greens dominate. Dynamic geometrical, curving and undulating shapes harmoniously intersect or are superimposed, giving familiar figurative glimpses of tropical vegetation.
Colourist painting
Colourist painting is characterised by the use of intense colour, which becomes the dominant feature of the resultant work of art, more important than its other qualities. This tendency in painting was foreshadowed by French Impressionism in the late 19th century, and came to prominence in the work...
.
He was born in Mersch
Mersch
Mersch is a commune and town in central Luxembourg, capital of the canton of Mersch. It is situated at the confluence of the rivers Alzette, Mamer and Eisch., the town of Mersch, which lies in the centre of the commune, has a population of 3,345...
on 17 August 1899 and died in Luxembourg
Luxembourg (city)
The city of Luxembourg , also known as Luxembourg City , is a commune with city status, and the capital of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. It is located at the confluence of the Alzette and Pétrusse Rivers in southern Luxembourg...
on 24 September 1983.
After having taught art, he left the country for the former Belgian Congo
Belgian Congo
The Belgian Congo was the formal title of present-day Democratic Republic of the Congo between King Leopold II's formal relinquishment of his personal control over the state to Belgium on 15 November 1908, and Congolese independence on 30 June 1960.-Congo Free State, 1884–1908:Until the latter...
and Chad
Chad
Chad , officially known as the Republic of Chad, is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic to the south, Cameroon and Nigeria to the southwest, and Niger to the west...
, where he was employed as a project manager for various railway construction companies. These periods abroad deeply influenced his very varied artistic production, which includes still life, flowers, Congo and Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
landscapes, figures, nudes and abstract work.
After his rather academic beginnings, the artist, who received twice the Prix Grand-Duc Adolphe
Prix Grand-Duc Adolphe
The Prix Grand-Duc Adolphe is a Luxembourgian art award awarded every year to one or more artists exhibiting at the Salon Artistique of the Cercle artistique de Luxembourg ....
, turned in 1951 to abstract painting. His Africa inspired gouaches are characterised, as are his other paintings, by expanses of solid colours, pure, vigorous, intense and luminous with strong bold contrasts in which yellow, blue, red and above all contrasting greens dominate. Dynamic geometrical, curving and undulating shapes harmoniously intersect or are superimposed, giving familiar figurative glimpses of tropical vegetation.