Jeu de couleurs (Acrylic & Collage)

Jeu de couleurs (Play of Colors) by Christian Halna du Fretay is a mixed-media work on Japanese shikishi board, combining acrylic paint, collage, and drawing in a compact yet visually layered composition. The shikishi format—with its rigid structure and gold edge—emphasizes both the precision and intensity of the artist’s color relationships. It also supports the integration of various materials, highlighting du Fretay’s sensitivity to surface and composition within a confined space.
 
The painting centers around a cluster of rounded, overlapping forms in vivid orange, ochre, and yellow, intersected by angular and textural contrasts in blue, grey, and muted tones. These shapes suggest a loose reference to still life or landscape, but remain fully within the realm of figurative abstraction. The elements are assembled rather than described, giving the viewer a sense of constructed harmony rather than visual depiction.
 
Du Fretay uses color as structure—each tone carefully positioned to interact with the others, creating tension, rhythm, and depth. The placement of a deep blue trapezoid, nearly architectural in its flatness, introduces a sense of verticality and spatial balance. Around it, areas of translucent layering and textured material break the surface and create a dynamic visual field.
 
The use of collaged paper and drawn line provides contrast between texture and flatness. These layers don’t illustrate form; instead, they suggest movement and shifting visual relationships, making the composition feel animated without narrative. The effect is one of interplay—between form and color, spontaneity and structure.
 
The shikishi board is not a neutral support here—it plays an active role in framing the image. Its modest size and gold edging bring clarity and formal tension. Within this tight format, du Fretay constructs a painting that is rich in visual variation while remaining balanced and controlled.
 
Jeu de couleurs reflects the artist’s ongoing exploration of abstract composition rooted in painterly intuition and material experimentation. It speaks to his ability to work across media with economy and precision, creating works that reward close looking. Though compact, the piece delivers a strong visual impact through its careful orchestration of form, texture, and color.