André Planson 1898 1981 Le Croisic August 1951 Watercolor

André Planson (1898-1981)
Watercolor representing Le Croisic signed located and dated lower right

André Planson is a French painter, engraver, lithographer, illustrator and decorator born in 1898. He completed his studies at the College of Meaux, where he shows early artistic qualities. Excellent violinist, he hesitated for a long time between painting and music. From the age of 17, he frequented the studio of the painter Paul Mène, in Champigny, who transmitted to him his love of landscape. He then decided to settle in Paris to follow the courses of the Ranson Academy. With a group of painter friends, Brianchon, Caillard, Cavaillès, Legueult, Limouse, Oudot, Jean-François Thomas and Terechkovitch, he created an informal movement, united by the same desire to deal with figuration. Frank and cheerful colors inspired by wild animals, large and fat touches that belong only to them, and above all an invigorating inspiration, full of joy and optimism, a hundred miles from the deadly tendencies of expressionism. The success is immediate, because this way of painting corresponds to the desire of art lovers. Far from the affectations and stylization of Art Deco, André́ Planson paints with joy. His works are full of assurance and above all totally stripped of intellectual or committed intentions. He transcribes landscapes, still lifes and female bodies in a pictorial style that is both ardent and balanced, to share his generous vision of existence. His stays in Brittany are frequent. After the war, André Planson was one of the figurative artists who continued to attract the favor of the public and collectors. He participated in the Venice Biennale in 1938, in that of Sao-Paulo in 1949. The group of painter friends to which he belonged was then baptized "Painters of Poetic Reality" by Gisele d'Assailly (1949), journalist and critic of art that publishes a book about them. Pierre Mac-Orlan devoted an essay to it. A retrospective was devoted to him at the Musée Rath in Geneva in 1952 and an exhibition at the Musée Galliera in Paris in 1960. His career was crowned by his election to the Institute that same year. He was already named Chevalier of the Legion of Honor in 1949. He died on September 29, 1981 in Neuilly.