Alfred Manessier Biography, Artworks
|
|
|
MANESSIER, Alfred (1911)
Born at Saint-Ouen (Somme), France. Spent most of his boyhood at Abbeville, and after graduating from the Lycée, attended the Ecole des Beaux-Arts at Amiens. Enrolled in 1929 in the Ecole des Beaux-Arts, Paris, in the department of architecture and design. Spent a good deal of time at the Louvre, where he made the acquaintance of Le Moal. Exhibited at the Salon des Indépendants in 1933, 1934, 1935. At the Académie Ranson in 1935 he met Bissiére, who gathered a small group of artists around him (including Manessier, Le Moal, Bertholle and the sculptor Etienne Martin). In 1937, at the Paris World's Fair, he worked at the Pavillon de l'Air et des Chemins de Fer (designed by the architect Aubley). Took part in 1938 in the Témoignage exhibition at the Galerie Matières (opened by Breteau in the Rue des Canettes), along with Le Moal, Bertholle, Verbanesco, Stahly, Martin, etc. Took part in 1939 in the second Salon des Jeunes Artistes. Lived in 1940-1941 at Bénauge ( Lot), near Bissière's home at Boissiérette. Participated in the 1941 exhibition of Vingt Peintres de Tradition Française at the Galerie Braun, Paris, and in the 1942 Salond'Automne (where he exhibited regularly until 1949). Revelation of the Faith in 1943: this was the turning point of his life and has profoundly influenced his work. He was living at the time in Normandy, at Bignon. Began building up his figures under indirect lighting. Exhibited his Pilgrims at Emmaus in 1944 at the Salon de la Libération. Took part in 1945 in the exhibition Jeune Peinture Française at the Palais des Beaux-Arts, Brussels, and the following year in a large-scale joint exhibition at the Galerie Drouin, Paris, with Le Moal and Singier. Showed yearly at the Salon de Mai, Paris, from 1948 on. Designed stained-glass windows for the church at Bréseux (Doubs) and in 1949 a tapestry (Christ at the Column) for the Dominican oratory at Le Saulchoir ( Seine-et-Oise). The same year he exhibited lithographs on the theme of Easter at the Galerie Jeanne Bucher, Paris, and paintings in Toronto and Dublin. Took part in 1950 in exhibitions of French painting at Stockholm and Göteborg, and in 1952 in the Pittsburgh International and Pittori d'Oggi, Turin ( 1951). Designed stained-glass windows in 1952 for the All Saints church at Basel and in 1953 for Saint-Pierre de Trinquetaille at Aries. Large exhibition of religious pictures in 1952 at the Galerie de France, Paris; he exhibited in 1953 at Turin, New York and the Sao Paulo Bienal (awarded first prize for painting). Lived at Crotoy (Somme) in 1954 and decorated the Lycée Climatique at Argelés. Also took part in the 1953 exhibition at the Guggenheim Foundation. Exhibited in 1955 at the Palais des BeauxArts, Brussels, at Eindhoven, at the Museum of Modern Art, New York, and the Sacred Art exhibition, Vienna. Awarded the international prize at the 1955 Valencia exhibition ( Venezuela). Exhibited works inspired by Holland at the Galerie de France in 1956 and enamels executed from his designs by Father Dupeux at the Dominican monastery of Ligugé. Collaborated in 1957 with the Swiss architect Bauer on the chapel at Hem (Nord), designing stained glass and tapestries (woven by Plasse-Lecaisne). Exhibited in 1958-1959 in Paris (Galerie de France, watercolors), Hanover, Essen, The Hague, Turin, Zurich and Kassel (Documenta II). Lived and worked for a time in Haute-Provence, at Moissac; a large exhibition of the works painted there was held at the Galerie de France, Paris. For the ballet festival at Nervi (near Genoa), in 1960, he designed sets and 330 costumes for The Human Comedy, based on Boccaccio's Decameron, with choreography by Massine.
Bibliography:
C. Bourniquel, Trois peintres, Le Moal, Manessier, Singier, Paris 1946. -- L. Degand, Lapicque et Manessier, in Art d'Aujourd'hui, N° 5, December 1949. -A. Morello, Manessier, antifigurativo, in La Fiera Letteraria, March 8, 1953. -- C. Bourniquel, Oeuvres récentes de Manessier, in XXe Siècle, N° 4, January 1954. -- R. Cogniat, Dans l'ateller de Manessier, in Les Nouvelles Litteraires, February 18, 1954. - J. Cayrol , Manessier, Paris 1955. - B. Dorival, Alfred Manessier, artisan religieux, in L'Oeil, N° 10, October 1955, reprinted in The Selective Eye 1956- 1957, pp. 158-163. -- E. de Wilde, Manessier 1955-1956, La Hollande, Paris 1956. -- J. Dupeux, Manessier et les émaux de Ligugé, in XXe Siécle, N° 8, January 1957. Manessier de la Galerie de France, presentation at the Galleria dell'Ariete, Milany, March 8, 1957. -- W. George , Manessier et la primauté du spirituel, in Prisme des Arts, N° 8, January 1957. -- W. Schmalenbach , Manessier, exhibition catalogue, Gemeente Museum, The Hague 1959. -J. A. Cartier, Développement et signification de l'œuvre de Manessier, in II Punto della Settimana, V, N° 13, January 16, 1960. A. M. O. P. Cocagnac, Manessier cultive son jardin, in Signes des Temps, Paris, February 1960.
|