‘Les Hommes Au Soleil II’ is one of two maquettes created for a fountain commission Olivier Strebelle completed in 1961. Created at a time when Strebelle was still experimenting with ceramic and metal this work captures the spirit of figurative sculpture that can be seen both in the UK and much of Europe in the post war decades. With rough textured surfaces, spindly legs and dynamic energy these works were reacting against the soft organic abstraction and truth to materials of the previous generation of sculptors and experimented with relatively new techniques such as welding and stainless steel.

Olivier Strebelle (1927 - 2017) was a figurehead in Belgian modern and contemporary art. Born into a family of artists in Brussels in 1927, he started taking classes in ceramics and sculpture at the age of 15. In 1949 together with Alechinsky, Reinhoud, Dotremont and Olyff, he founded “Les Ateliers du Marais”, headquarters of the art movement “Cobra”. By the age of 20 he has already gained great reputation and was invited to teach at universities all over the world. Strebelle’s work is held in numerous prestigious private and corporate collections and his sculptures are displayed in major cities in Europe, the United States and Asia.