Karel Appel was born in Amsterdam in 1921. He studied at the Royal Academy of Fine Art, Amsterdam.
With Constant and Corneille, Appel helped found the Dutch experimental artist group, Reflex, in Amsterdam, and took an active part in the COBRA group. Appel is one of the most important artists of the "Cobra" movement and is considered to be one of the most significant artists of the post war period. He moved to Paris with Corneille and Constant in 1950 and his paintings soon became more thickly painted with swirling forms, grotesque imagery of animals, monsters and the human figure. He was awarded the UNESCO prize at the 1954 Venice Biennale and the 1960 Guggenheim International Award. He Began to make relief paintings in 1968, followed by painted sculptures in wood and polyester, and later using aluminum. He lived in Paris and New York. His works are exhibited in all major museums of modern art around the world.