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Copyright Estate of André Masson/Adagp, 2005 | | | Masson, André (1896 - 1987) France
Animal Pris au Piège, 1929
Pastel on paper; 44.5 x 59.7 cm Surrealism
UID 102-363
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Biography
Painter, draughtsman and stage designer, Masson had an important role in the development of both Surrealism and Abstract Expressionism. At only 11, he was admitted to the Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts and the Ecole des Arts Décoratifs in Brussels. His first works, particularly the 1922 paintings, reflected the influence of André Derain although he distanced himself from him at the end of 1923 to move towards Analytical Cubism. Recognition came with his first one-man show at the Simon Gallery in Paris (1923) and brought him to the attention of other artists, namely André Breton who invited him to join the Surrealist group. Influenced by Surrealist ideas, Masson, together with Joan Miró, began experimenting with automatic drawing. In 1929, his first paintings became more schematic, his compositions became freer and his imagery developed along "automatic" gestural lines. Between 1924 and 1929, the Masson and Miró biomorphic abstractions dominated Surrealist painting but, after the Second World War, the former began to show a growing interest in Impressionism. Combining this Impressionist style with Oriental technique and imagery, Masson abandoned the chiaroscuro technique for the application of total luminosity. In his final works, developed the themes of transformation and metamorphosis that he had begun in 1922. In 1954, he won the National Grand Prix for the Arts. In 1955-64, he took part in documenta 1 and 3, in Kassel. In 1964, two important retrospectives were organised at the Academia de Berlin and at the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam. In 1972, he exhibited at the Venice Biennale.
Exhibitions
O Surrealismo na Colecção Berardo - Estranho Desenho Palácio da Galeria, Câmara Municipal de Tavira, Portugal 12-07-2003 ~ 14-09-2003
Accrochage Nº1, Selection of Portuguese and French Artists in The Berardo Collection Embaixada de França (French Embassy), Portugal 27-04-2005 ~ 15-10-2005
Durante o Fim - Rui Chafes Sintra Museu de Arte Moderna - Colecção Berardo (SMAM-CB), Portugal 15-10-2000 ~ 14-01-2001
Aquisições Recentes da Colecção Berardo Sintra Museu de Arte Moderna - Colecção Berardo (SMAM-CB), Portugal 17-05-1998 ~ 04-04-1999
Nova Apresentação da Colecção Berardo Sintra Museu de Arte Moderna - Colecção Berardo (SMAM-CB), Portugal 08-11-1999 ~ 01-03-2000
O Surrealismo na Colecção Berardo - Estranho Desenho, Sintra Sintra Museu de Arte Moderna - Colecção Berardo (SMAM-CB), Portugal 04-07-2001 ~ 30-06-2001
Fernando Lemos and Surrealism - The Berardo Collection Sintra Museu de Arte Moderna - Colecção Berardo (SMAM-CB), Portugal 26-11-2005 ~ 18-06-2006
Fernando Lemos e o Surrealismo - Colecção Berardo Centro das Artes Casa das Mudas, Calheta, Madeira, Portugal 08-07-2006 ~ 31-01-2007
Berardo Museum Opening Museu Colecção Berardo, Portugal 25-06-2007 ~ 24-08-2008
“Theater of the Dream” from Magritte to Felini Galleria Nazionale dell’Umbria, Italy 25-09-2010 ~ 09-01-2011
Sous la Dictée de L’image Museu Colecção Berardo, Portugal 01-03-2010 ~ 26-05-2010
Tudo o que é Sólido Museu Colecção Berardo, Portugal 07-06-2010 ~ 12-09-2010
Bibliography
Accrochage Nº1, Selection of Portuguese and French Artists in The Berardo Collection, 2005 Published by 90 Graus Editora, Lda. ISBN 9728964013
Colecção Berardo Collection 1917-1999, 2000 Published by CCB - Centro Cultural de Belém ISBN 972817652X
Fernando Lemos and Surrealism , 2005 Published by Sintra Museu de Arte Moderna - Colecção Berardo ISBN 9729903026
Fernando Lemos e o Surrealismo – Colecção Berardo, 2006 Published by Centro das Artes - Casa das Mudas ISBN 9728902034
O Surrealismo na Colecção Berardo - Estranho Desenho, 2003 Published by Palácio da Galeria, Câmara Municipal de Tavira ISBN 9728705050
O Surrealismo na Colecção Berardo - Estranho Desenho, 2001 Published by Sintra Museu de Arte Moderna - Colecção Berardo ISBN 9729742847
Sotheby's, Impressionist and Modern Art, Part II, New York 13 November 1997, lot. 391, 1997 Published by Sotheby´s
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