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Roger de la Fresnaye was a French painter, a representative of Cubism in painting.
He studied at the Académie Julian in Paris and was fascinated by the art of Paul Cézanne. In his works Fresnaye synthesized lyrical color with geometric simplifications of Cubism.
Frank William Brangwyn was a Welsh artist, painter, watercolourist, printmaker, illustrator, and designer.
As well as paintings and drawings, he produced designs for stained glass, furniture, ceramics, glass tableware, buildings and interiors, was a lithographer and woodcutter and was a book illustrator. It has been estimated that during his lifetime Brangwyn produced over 12,000 works. His mural commissions would cover over 22,000 sq ft of canvas, he painted over 1,000 oils, over 660 mixed media works (watercolours, gouache), over 500 etchings, about 400 wood-engravings and woodcuts, 280 lithographs, 40 architectural and interior designs, 230 designs for items of furniture and 20 stained glass panels and windows.
André Breton was a French writer, poet, and anti-fascist, renowned as the principal founder and leading theorist of Surrealism, an influential movement that sought to release the creative potential of the unconscious mind. Born in Tinchebray, France, in 1896, Breton's work was deeply influenced by the theories of Sigmund Freud and was characterized by a fascination with dreams, the irrational, and the workings of the mind. As a cultural icon, his contributions extended beyond literature into the realms of art, sculpture, and painting, making him a pivotal figure in 20th-century artistic movements.
Breton's seminal work, the "Manifesto of Surrealism" (1924), outlined the principles of the movement, advocating for the expression of the subconscious and the importance of dreams as a source of artistic inspiration. His leadership and writings not only shaped Surrealism but also had a lasting impact on the broader culture of art, influencing countless artists, painters, and sculptors. Breton's ability to merge poetry with visual arts led to collaborations with prominent artists like Salvador Dalí, Max Ernst, and Joan Miró, further cementing his legacy as a central figure in modern art.
Notably, André Breton's works and personal collection, which included art pieces and surreal objects, have been displayed in museums and galleries worldwide, showcasing his eclectic taste and profound influence on the art world. His Paris apartment was a gathering place for artists and intellectuals, becoming a hub of Surrealist activity and thought. For collectors and experts in art and antiques, Breton's contributions represent a fascinating intersection of literary prowess and visual creativity, highlighting the enduring relevance of Surrealism.
For those interested in exploring the depths of Surrealism and André Breton's groundbreaking contributions, signing up for updates can provide exclusive access to new product sales and auction events related to this pivotal artist and thinker. This subscription is an invaluable resource for collectors and enthusiasts keen to deepen their understanding of Breton's influence and the broader cultural movements he shaped.
Paul Bonet, birth name Paul Joseph Ghislain Bonet, is a French bookbinder and bookbinding designer, Knight of the Legion of Honor.
Trained to make fashionable wooden mannequins, Paul Bonet worked in the fashion industry for several years and did not turn to bookbinding until 1920. His bright, colorful designs and prolific work made him famous. His first bindings were exhibited in 1925 at the Gallière Museum, then at the French Book Arts Exhibition, the Salon d'Automne and the Salon des Artistes Décoratifs, and his talent was recognized.
His decoration was particularly innovative. One of the great masters of French bookbinding, Paul Bonet became famous in the 1930s and 1940s for one of his signature patterns, "sunbeams." These patterns consist of many small lines with gold trim, carefully planned and giving the optical illusion of spatial depth.
Cynthia Morris Sherman is an American artist whose work consists primarily of photographic self-portraits, depicting herself in many different contexts and as various imagined characters.
Her breakthrough work is often considered to be the collected Untitled Film Stills, a series of 70 black-and-white photographs of herself evoking typical female roles in performance media (especially arthouse films and popular B-movies). In the 1980s, she used color film and large prints, and focused more on costume, lighting and facial expression.
Félix Vallotton, a Swiss-born French graphic artist and painter, is recognized for his distinctive woodcuts and paintings of nudes and interiors. Vallotton's journey into art began in Paris, where he attended the Académie Julian, fostering a unique style that broke from traditional norms. His early works, characterized by extreme realism, were showcased at the Salon des Artistes Français and the Paris Universal Exposition of 1889. This period also marked Vallotton's encounter with Japanese prints, notably those by Hokusai, profoundly influencing his artistic direction.
In 1892, Vallotton joined Les Nabis, a group of avant-garde artists including Pierre Bonnard, Maurice Denis, and Édouard Vuillard, which led to a significant evolution in his style. His paintings from this era, such as "Bathers on a Summer Evening" and "Moonlight," exhibited at the Kunsthaus Zürich and the Musée d'Orsay respectively, reveal a departure from realism towards a more symbolic and abstract representation. The works from this period are characterized by flat areas of color, hard edges, and simplified details, mirroring the style he developed in his woodcuts.
Vallotton's woodcuts, like "Intimités" (Intimacies), a series published in 1898, showcased his mastery in capturing the nuances of human relationships, particularly the tensions between men and women. His graphic art, which included depictions of domestic scenes, bathing women, and street crowds, was not just celebrated in Europe but also influenced artists like Edvard Munch, Aubrey Beardsley, and Ernst Ludwig Kirchner.
Towards the end of his career, Vallotton continued to innovate, combining elements of realism and abstraction, evident in paintings like "La Malade" (The Sick Girl) and "Clair de lune" (Moonlight). His works remain a testament to his ability to merge technical precision with a poignant exploration of human emotions and societal themes.
For art collectors and experts, Vallotton's body of work offers a rich and diverse exploration of early 20th-century art movements, especially his role in the development of modern woodcut techniques and his contribution to the Nabis movement. His works are a study in the fusion of realism and symbolism, marked by a distinctive style that makes his art enduringly relevant and compelling.
For those interested in discovering more about Félix Vallotton and staying updated on related product sales and auction events, signing up for updates is a great opportunity. This subscription will exclusively alert you to new sales and events pertaining to Vallotton's works, ensuring you remain informed in the dynamic world of art and antiques.
Jean-Jacques Sempé was a French cartoonist. He is known for the series of children's books he created with René Goscinny, Le Petit Nicolas, and also for his poster-like illustrations, usually drawn from a distant or high viewpoint depicting detailed countrysides or cities. For decades, he created covers for The New Yorker.
Albert Einstein was a German-born theoretical physicist, widely acknowledged to be one of the greatest and most influential physicists of all time. Einstein is best known for developing the theory of relativity, but he also made important contributions to the development of the theory of quantum mechanics. Relativity and quantum mechanics are together the two pillars of modern physics. His mass–energy equivalence formula E = mc2, which arises from relativity theory, has been dubbed "the world's most famous equation". His work is also known for its influence on the philosophy of science. He received the 1921 Nobel Prize in Physics "for his services to theoretical physics, and especially for his discovery of the law of the photoelectric effect", a pivotal step in the development of quantum theory. His intellectual achievements and originality resulted in "Einstein" becoming synonymous with "genius".
Felix Mendelssohn (full name Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy) was a German composer, pianist, conductor, teacher, and one of the greatest representatives of Romanticism in music.
Felix was born into a Jewish musical family that later converted to Christianity. He received a versatile education and already as a child wrote many musical compositions, including 5 operas, 11 symphonies for string orchestra, concertos, sonatas and fugues. Mendelssohn's first public performance took place in Berlin in 1818, when he was nine years old. In 1821 Mendelssohn was introduced to J.W. von Goethe, for whom he performed works by J.S. Bach and Mozart and to whom he dedicated his Piano Quartet No. 3 in B minor. A friendship developed between the famous wise poet and the 12-year-old musician.
A few years later, the talented musician began conducting in various orchestras in Europe, and became acquainted with Carl Weber. In England, where Mendelssohn visited very often, by the middle of the 19th century his music had become very popular, even with Queen Victoria he was the most favorite composer. He dedicated his Symphony No. 3 in A minor major (Scottish Symphony) to the Queen.
Among Mendelssohn's most famous works are A Midsummer Night's Dream (1826), the Italian Symphony (1833), a violin concerto (1844), two piano concertos (1831, 1837), the oratorio Elijah (1846) and several chamber pieces. The tradition of playing the "Wedding March" from A Midsummer Night's Dream in wedding processions dates back to its performance at the wedding of a royal princess in 1858, already after Mendelssohn's death.
In 1843, Mendelssohn founded a conservatory in Leipzig, where he taught composition with Schumann. Mendelssohn was one of the first great Romantic composers of the nineteenth century.
François-Xavier Lalanne was a French painter and sculptor. He studied sculpture, drawing and painting at the Académie Julian. Since the 1960s he has worked as a couple with his wife Claude Lalanne.