Who was Alexandre Istrati?

Alexandre Istrati was a Romanian painter who moved to Paris in 1947. Constantin Brancusi named Alexandre Istrati and his wife Natalia Dumitresco executors of his will, which placed the abstract painters at the centre of one of the century's most significant sculptural estates. He continued painting in Paris until his death in October 1991.

What is Alexandre Istrati known for?

Alexandre Istrati is known for his abstract paintings and his association with Constantin Brancusi. He was part of the Abstraction Lyrique movement, the European equivalent of American Abstract Expressionism, alongside painters including Soulages, Schneider, and Lanskoy. He also won the Prix Kandinsky in 1953.

What was Alexandre Istrati's art style?

Alexandre Istrati worked within the Abstraction Lyrique movement. His canvases from the 1950s onward are characterised by deep greens, bright purples, and intense passages of red and yellow, built in a free lyrical manner that evolved out of an early engagement with the Réalités Nouvelles.

Where to See Alexandre Istrati

2 museums worldwide

About Alexandre Istrati

Romanian · 1915–1991 · Abstract Expressionism

Franco-Romanian^[1] abstract painter, close friend of Brancusi, and Prix Kandinsky winner; a key figure of the post-war Abstraction Lyrique movement in Paris.

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Alexandre Istrati's works are held in 2 museums worldwide.

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🇫🇷 France

1 museum

Musée d'art moderne de Paris

Musée d’Art Moderne, France

2 works

Museum details Map

Also here
Raoul Dufy (61)Giorgio de Chirico (42)Eugene Leroy (26)Brion Gysin (22)Bernard Buffet (17)A. R. Penck (16)

🇨🇭 Switzerland

1 museum

Kunsthaus Zürich

Zurich, Switzerland

1 works

🚂 Basel (53 min)

Museum details Map

Also here
Ferdinand Hodler (88)Cuno Amiet (35)Vincent van Gogh (26)Félix Vallotton (25)Henry Fuseli (25)Eugène Delacroix (24)

Frequently Asked Questions

Who was Alexandre Istrati?
Alexandre Istrati was a Romanian^[1] painter who moved to Paris in 1947^[1]. Constantin Brancusi named Alexandre Istrati and his wife Natalia Dumitresco executors of his will, which placed the abstract painters at the centre of one of the century's most significant sculptural estates. He continued painting in Paris until his death in October 1991^[1].
What is Alexandre Istrati known for?
Alexandre Istrati is known for his abstract paintings and his association with Constantin Brancusi. He was part of the Abstraction Lyrique movement, the European equivalent of American Abstract Expressionism^[1], alongside painters including Soulages, Schneider, and Lanskoy. He also won the Prix Kandinsky in 1953^[1].
What was Alexandre Istrati's art style?
Alexandre Istrati worked within the Abstraction Lyrique movement. His canvases from the 1950s onward are characterised by deep greens, bright purples, and intense passages of red and yellow, built in a free lyrical manner that evolved out of an early engagement with the Réalités Nouvelles.

Sources

Where to See guide aggregates verified holdings of Alexandre Istrati's works across the following collections.

[1] wikipedia Wikipedia: Alexandre Istrati Used for: biography.
[2] book guggenheim-guhe00solo Used for: biography.
[3] book guggenheim-masterp00solo Used for: biography.
[4] book guggenheim-twopri00weis Used for: biography.

Editorial overseen by Solis Prints. Sources verified 2026-05-23. Click a source for details, or hover over [N] in the page above to preview.

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