Antoine Mortier, le geste incarné

Published in 2000 by Fonds Mercator, this monograph serves as a definitive examination of the work and life of the Belgian painter Antoine Mortier. The volume was produced to document the evolution of Mortier’s abstract expressionist style, which was deeply rooted in the mid-twentieth-century European tradition of lyrical abstraction. It contextualizes his transition from figurative early work to the bold, gestural brushwork that characterized his mature period, capturing the intensity and physical presence of his canvas compositions.

The book highlights the technical nuances of Mortier’s design, characterized by an economy of form and a focus on the movement of the human gesture—hence the title, le geste incarné, or 'the incarnate gesture.' By archiving these works, the publishers aimed to secure Mortier's legacy within the post-war Belgian art scene. The curation reflects a retrospective effort to synthesize his complex relationship with space and shadow, providing scholars and art historians with a comprehensive primary resource for his contribution to modernism.