Hugh Kappel (American, 1910-1982). Watercolor on paper abstract painting titled "Chance Encounter" in bold primary colors with slashes of black, purple, and green, 1951. Signed, titled, and dated August 1951 along the lower right.

Provenance: Estate of the artist; Private Minnesota Collection.

Hugh Kappel, born in 1910 in Berlin, Germany, into a prosperous Jewish family, pursued a multifaceted career in art and philosophy. He honed his craft in Paris under Othon Friesz and Marcel Gromaire, showcasing his work alongside luminaries like Picasso and Chagall. Immigrating to New York City in 1937, Kappel embraced Abstract Expressionism, participating in the groundbreaking 9th Street Exhibition alongside Pollock and Motherwell. Later, settling in Minneapolis, he continued to evolve his style, spanning from portraiture to surrealistic collages, leaving a profound mark on 20th-century art.
Height: 24 in x width: 19 in.

The colors are bold and bright. There are pinholes in each corner. There are light creases in each corner. The work is not framed.