Karel Appel was a Dutch artist who began his career in the aftermath of the Second World War. Over the course of six decades, he experimented widely across painting, sculpture, drawing, and stage design, distinguishing himself for his astonishing capacity to innovate and never settling in a signature style, media, or subject. He was a founding member of the artistic movement CoBrA (1948-1951), a style that emerged in post-war Europe that was highly Expressionist and inspired by children’s art.