Lot 500. Fangor Wojciech Warsaw 1922 – 2015. E 31“, 1966. Oil on canvas, 71 x 71cm. Signed, titled and dated verso upper right: FANGOR E31 1966. For this work an expertise by Katarzyna Jankowska-Cieslik, Poland, is available. The work is listed at the artist’s official website under number P517. (www.catalogue.fangorfoundation.org). Provenance: – Grabowski Gallery, London, – Galerie Thomas, Munich. Exhibitions: – Grabowski Gallery, London 1966. Literature: – Exhib. cat. Wojciech Fangor, Grabowski Gallery, London 1966. Estimate €60,000 – 80,000. Van Ham. 12/04/25. Sold €125,000

Na nadchodzącej aukcji w niemieckim Van Ham znalazł się olej E 31 Wojciecha Fangora z 1966 roku. Praca ta charakteryzuje się znakomitą proweniencją a także obecnością w katalogu raissone https://fangorfoundation.org/catalogue-raisonne/.

Na nadchodzącej aukcji w bliżej nieznanym mi domu aukcyjnym w New Jersey, USA znalazł się olej E 47, również z 1966 roku (rzekomo) Wojciecha Fangora. Praca ta nie posiada żadnej proweniencji, jest wyceniona wysoko choć cena wyjściowa została ustalona bardzo atrakcyjnie na przecietną kieszeń, zaledwie na $1,000. Aż dwie nalepki (rzekomo) galerii Chalette International zostały z tyłu naklejone. Ktoś włożył wiele wysiłku i nieudolnie namalował tę pracę – warto zauważyć jej reklamę w katalogu aukcyjnym (długa epistoła poniżej). Obrazu tego oczywiście nie ma w archiwum Galerii Chalette, dostępnym on-line. Pisanie o tej pracy byłoby zbędne, gdyby nie okazało się, że podobne ‘Fangory’ są sprzedawane w USA np. w śmiejącej się w twarz Antique Arena z Brooklynu za $13,000 (https://antiquearena.com/lot/37476?auction_item_id=72).

Lot 34. WOJCIECH FANGOR (1922-2015), OIL ON CANVAS. Signed (verso). Image dimensions: 102 x 102 cm (40 x 40 in). Estimate $40,000 – 50,000. Opening $1,000. Oldstone Ventures. 11/17/25

Wojciech Fangor was a leading figure in the Polish avant-garde and one of the few Eastern European artists to achieve significant international recognition during the Cold War era. Trained at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, Fangor’s early work reflected socialist realism, but by the 1950s he had turned toward abstraction, developing a signature visual language centered on spatial illusions and chromatic vibrations. His relocation to the United States in the 1960s further aligned him with global currents of Op Art and Color Field painting, culminating in his inclusion in the landmark exhibition “The Responsive Eye” at the Museum of Modern Art in 1965.

“E47,” created in 1966, exemplifies Fangor’s mature period, in which color, form, and perceptual depth converge into a mesmerizing whole. The composition centers on a pulsating square of luminous green, encircled by progressively darker rings of violet and crimson that softly diffuse into the surrounding red field. The transitions between colors are seamless yet vibrant, generating a dynamic optical vibration that seems to radiate beyond the canvas. Rather than delineating geometric forms with hard edges, Fangor creates gentle transitions that evoke the sense of an energy field, thus heightening the viewer’s spatial and emotional response.

This work resonates strongly with Fangor’s theory of “positive space,” where color becomes an autonomous force that shapes perceptual experience. The subtle modulation and interplay of hues create a sensation of movement, depth, and atmosphere-hallmarks of Fangor’s contribution to visual perception theory in painting. The piece’s vibrant central core draws the viewer inward, while the outer rings seem to expand infinitely outward, establishing an active dialogue between interior focus and spatial dissipation.

Paintings from this pivotal era in Fangor’s career have been acquired by institutions such as the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and the Centre Pompidou. In recent years, his market performance has seen a notable resurgence, with works from the 1960s commanding strong results at international auctions. Notably, paintings from the “E” series-such as “E22,” “E36,” and “E64”-have achieved six-figure prices in both European and American salesrooms, reflecting growing collector interest in Op Art and Cold War-era abstraction.

Visually minimal yet psychologically immersive, “E47” holds a unique place within postwar abstraction. Its vibrant concentric field makes it adaptable to both minimalist and modern architectural interiors, offering a profound visual anchor. As both a meditative object and an emblem of perceptual experimentation, it represents a compelling intersection of aesthetics and science.