Hans Hartung (Lipsia 1904-Antibes 1989)

Born in Leipzig, Germany, after studying philosophy and art history at his city's university, he attended the Academy of Fine Arts in Dresden, Leipzig and Munich. In 1935 he moved to France, to Paris, and in 1942 he took refuge in Spain. During World War II, he enlisted in the French Foreign Legion and suffered permanent disability. In 1945 he resumed his painting activities interrupted due to the conflict. From the beginning, his artistic production was characterized by abstraction. His approach to painting combines technical skill with gestural spontaneity. His first solo exhibition in France at Galerie Lydia Conti took place in 1947. In the following decades, solo exhibitions, invitations to international exhibitions and awards followed.