Anton Rooskens

Anton Rooskens (1906–1976) was a self-taught Dutch painter whose work became closely associated with the post-war avant-garde movement in the Netherlands. Based primarily in Amsterdam, Rooskens developed a distinctive, expressive style characterized by bold color, energetic brushwork, and an emphasis on spontaneity.

In 1946, Rooskens met Karel Appel and Corneille, artists who would become central figures in the CoBrA group. Their influence encouraged him to embrace intuitive creation and freedom from academic conventions, leading him to explore raw, emotive forms in his painting. As a founding member of CoBrA—a group that championed experimentation, playfulness, and the liberation of artistic expression—Rooskens contributed to a movement that sought to reconnect art with vitality, emotion, and the immediacy of human experience.

His works often feature vivid colors and dynamic compositions that celebrate the unrestrained energy of post-war European abstraction, placing him among the notable pioneers of mid-20th-century avant-garde painting.