Chromatic magnetism1958–1964
Transfiguration
1960, 51 x 71 ins
oil on canvas
Hanina Fine Arts, London
GÉRALD GASSIOT-TALABOT « VERS UNE CHROMO PSYCHOLOGIE DE GROUPE » MUSÉE DE POCHE, 1970 (extracts)
From 1958 until his first typograms in 1963, Bellegarde underwent a period of chromatic re-adaptation. Of course, his fauvist period at the very start of the 50s had shown a true liberty in his use of color, but nothing could be ever the same again after his long experience of white.
No doubt Bellegarde, more then anything, bases his expressive power on what he calls matter’s potential energy and radiation. For, chromatic radiance is amongst the most penetrating: it transpierces the body, of course, via the gaze of the onlooker, but just as easily permeates the blind, and solicits our most delicate and hidden receptive faculties.
