I have not definitively placed the Castel who signed this modernist watercolor, but they sure knew what they were doing--and it seems very possible the artist in question is Moshe Castel (1909-1991, Israeli), who studied in Paris from the late 1920s through 1940, including at l'Ecole du Louvre. (There is a fair bit out there about him, and a museum in Jerusalem dedicated to his work.) I just think this is a small gem of a painting, certainly seeming to reflect the influence of Calder and Miro, among others, but feeling like its own perfectly resolved, very confident thing. Better in hand, strong and bold but also quite painterly, just super.
8 9/16" x 6 1/8", watercolor on card. Very good overall condition with a few stains as evident, at least some original to the making and all of a piece with it.
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