A founder of the CoBrA association of painters, Karel Appel rendered expressionist canvases with vibrant color, violent brushwork, and thick application of impasto paint. The artist derived much inspiration from primitive art and children’s drawings, and was influenced by contemporaries such as Jean Dubuffet, the major exponent of Art Brut. Though Appel is primarily known for his paintings that combine elements of both figuration and of abstraction, the artist also experimented with relief paintings, sculpture, and design.