A painting by Belgian artist Rik Wouters has sold for a record €2.46 million at a Christie’s auction in Paris, the highest price ever paid for one of his works. The work, Reflets (Reflections), a 1912 portrait of his wife and muse Nel, was originally estimated at between €650,000 and €850,000, the auction house said on Thursday evening.
The painting was part of a private collection assembled since the 1970s by Joris Onzea and Suzanne Govaerts and curated by designer, antique dealer and art dealer Axel Vervoordt. The collection spanned various artistic traditions and historical periods and fetched a total of €10 million. Works on paper and canvas by Wouters alone fetched €4.2 million.
Rik Wouters (1882-1916) is considered a key figure in Brabant Fauvism – a Belgian art movement that originated near Brussels in the early 20th century, characterised by bold colour contrasts and expressive brushwork. Unlike their French Fauvist counterparts such as Henri Matisse, the Brabant Fauvists developed a distinct style rooted in the Belgian context. Known not only for his paintings but also for his drawings and sculptures, Wouters died in Amsterdam at the age of 33.
