A fluid, organic form animated by striking linear incisions, 'Découpage No 20' is a compelling example of Hans Arp’s sculptural practice and occupies a significant place within his celebrated “Schwellenplastik” series. In this body of work, Arp explores the idea of the “threshold”, not only between two or three dimensions, but also between nature and abstraction, movement and stillness, body and space. The present work captures this conceptual duality with elegance and precision: its undulating contours evoke the spontaneous growth of natural forms, while the carefully incised lines introduce a sense of structure and intentionality. Executed in warm-toned brass with a softly oxidized surface, the work possesses both a tactile presence and an airy, floating quality, enhanced by the transparent base.

'Découpage No 20' demonstrates Arp’s unique ability to transform abstract shapes into poetic, living entities. It is a work that resists narrative, yet invites endless interpretation, a hallmark of Arp’s mature style. Created in 1961, it reflects a period of intense refinement in his visual language, when he had already established himself as a pioneering figure of the European avant-garde. His development of sculptural découpage (literally “cut-outs”) allowed him to further dissolve the boundary between drawing and sculpture, yielding works that are both materially grounded and visually weightless.

This work is particularly significant within Arp’s oeuvre for how it embodies his lifelong pursuit of form rooted in chance, intuition, and the rhythms of nature. It encapsulates his transition from the playful iconoclasm of Dada to the serene, monumental abstraction that would define his legacy in modern sculpture. In 1954, shortly before the creation of this piece, Arp received the International Prize for Sculpture at the Venice Biennale, a recognition of his profound influence on the trajectory of 20th-century art.

'Découpage No 20' is more than a sculptural object; it is a distillation of Arp’s artistic philosophy. Both minimal and expressive, it invites the viewer into a dialogue between form and void, gesture and stillness, a testament to Arp’s enduring relevance and poetic vision.