| 1882 born in Quiévy |
1900 | Attends the École des Beaux Arts in Lille |
1913 | Under the influence of Braque and Picasso, begins to explore Cubism |
1917 | beginning of the non-representational, geometric phase |
1922 | after a short figurative phase, turns to Constructivism |
1929 | co-founder of the "Salon des Surindépendants |
1931 | together with Vantongerloo co-founder of the artists' association "Abstraction-Création |
1946 | "alphabet plastique", a composition system based on letters |
1947 | co-founder and vice-president, from 1955 president of the "Salon des Réalités Nouvelles |
1953 | a hemiplegia forces him to paint with his left hand |
1955/64/72 | participates in Documenta I, II and V |
1960 | died in Paris |