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Bernard Lorjou Art

French, 1908-1986

Bernard Lorjou was born on September 9, 1908, in Blois, France, a somber village of picturesque houses on the Loire River, 32 miles from Tours. He was the youngest of 3 children and a born painter, indulging in all the childish pranks to obtain crayons and suitable materials to satisfy his strong desire to draw and paint. In 1924, he headed to Paris, where he lived in extreme poverty in a small room on the Rue Raspail. Eventually, his funds ran out, so he started sleeping in the Orsay train station. Within a year, he found work with the silk house Ducharne. He used his income at Ducharne to finance his formal studies at the evening school in Paris. He was taught a kind of 19th-century realism, dark and painstaking. His canvases show brilliant brushwork, filled with an emotional intensity that was to typify countless canvases. At Ducharne, he designed patterns for prints that became sought by fashion houses ranging from Jacques Fath, Balmain, Lanvin and Christian Dior and worn by many notable women of the period, including Marlene Dietrich, Dolores del Rio, Jane Aubert and the Duchess of Windsor. At Ducharne, Lorjou met his wife Yvonne Mottet, also an artist. Mottet taught Lorjou conventional drawing and her influence on his work and life was profound. Her kind, gentle but direct force humanized and appeased his volcanic personality. In 1934, Lorjou and Mottet set up an art studio in Montmartre, Paris. This same studio was featured in the 1996 movie, Everyone Says I Love You. In 1939, Lorjou returned to Blois as German troops began invading France. During his short time as mayor, he recalled housing, treating, burying and feeding many of the town’s citizens. In 1942, he displayed works for the first time at the Salon des Indépendants. Three years later in 1945, Lorjou held his first solo exhibition in Paris at the Galerie du Bac. Less than a year later, the Galerie du Bac held an exhibition dedicated to the emerging style of Expressionist artists from different countries, featuring artists such as Soutine, Rouault, Goerg, Ensor, Beckmann and Lorjou. In 1948, Lorjou was named co-recipient of the coveted Prix de la Critique award with Bernard Buffet. That same year, Lorjou formed the artistic group L’Homme Témoin with the art critic Jean Bouret to defend figurative painting. The group originally comprised 5 members and shortly thereafter expanded to include other artists, including Bernard Buffet, Jean Couty, Minaux and Simone Dat. In 1950, Lorjou painted and exhibited a series of large-format paintings inspired by current events, namely, L'Age Atomique. Today it is owned by the French Government and held at the Centre Pompidou in Paris. Over the next 10 years, Lorjou painted a series of widely acclaimed works now held by major museums worldwide. In 1963, Lorjou rented a barge named La Touraine to navigate up and down the Seine River in Paris for three days. There were several politically-charged monumental paintings on display, including La Mort de John XXIII, Grimau’s Blood and July 14th. Local authorities eventually stopped the barge. In 1965, Lorjou created woodblocks from his illustrations Le Bestiaire ou Cortège d'Orphée by Guillaume Apollinaire, which was published by Editions d’Auteuil and printed by Robert Blanchet in an edition of 230 copies. In 1968, his wife and companion of 40 years, Yvonne Mottet, passed away from leukemia. Throughout the 70s and 80s, Lorjou created iconic works and exhibited them throughout the globe. These included acclaimed exhibitions, such as “The Sharon Tate Assassination," “Bullfights” and “Lorjou in Private French Collections.” In 1985, The Palais de l'Europe organized a retrospective on Lorjou. The same year, Lorjou organized his last exhibit in Paris with a series of tarps around the theme of AIDS. On January 26, 1986, the last day of his AIDS exhibit, Lorjou died of an asthma attack. Posthumous exhibits were held in Venezuela and Japan.

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Bernard Lorjou, Des Fols, Antinea, Color Lithograph on Arches Paper, 1959
Bernard Lorjou, Des Fols, Antinea, Color Lithograph on Arches Paper, 1959

Bernard Lorjou, Des Fols, Antinea, Color Lithograph on Arches Paper, 1959

By Bernard Lorjou

Located in Warszawa, Mazowieckie

Bernard Lorjou, Des Fols, Antinea, 1959 Color lithograph on Arches paper Number 1/65 The work signed by the artist's signature. Has individual number, title and date. Sheet dimensions 65/45 Unframed work Bernard Lorjou (1908 - 1986) was a French expressionist painter and a founding member of the anti-abstract art group L'homme Témoin. At the age of 13, he went to Paris, where, through contacts with the anarchists of Libertaire, he discovered the work of Édouard Manet. In 1931 he visited Spain. There he learned about the work of El Greco, Velasquez and, above all, Goya, who inspired him to paint socio-political episodes. In 1969, he created a series of paintings depicting the murder of Sharon Tate by members of the Charles Manson...

Category

1950s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Bernard Lorjou Art

Materials

Paper

Don Quixote

Don Quixote

By Bernard Lorjou

Located in New York, NY

Bernard Lorjou (1908-1985 Fr.) Don Quixote is from the Bull Fighter series from the period of 1960 and was in one collection till recently. In 1948, he sh...

Category

Late 20th Century Expressionist Bernard Lorjou Art

Materials

Oil

Eiffel Tower
Eiffel Tower

Eiffel Tower

By Bernard Lorjou

Located in Boca Raton, FL

During travels through Spain in 1931, he was struck by the expressive strong styles of the artists El Greco, Velasquez, and most of all Goya.[1] Inspired by Goya, Lorjou began painti...

Category

1950s Expressionist Bernard Lorjou Art

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Original poster produced in 1957 by Lorjou  "les massacres de Rambouillet"
Original poster produced in 1957 by Lorjou  "les massacres de Rambouillet"

Original poster produced in 1957 by Lorjou "les massacres de Rambouillet"

By Bernard Lorjou

Located in PARIS, FR

Original poster produced in 1957 by Lorjou on the exhibition "les massacres de Rambouillet" (the Rambouillet massacres). Exhibition - Abstract Paintings and drawings in his hut on ...

Category

1950s Bernard Lorjou Art

Materials

Paper, Lithograph

Bernard Lorjou "Pirouette au Galop" 1978 Expressionist Woodcut, Signed, H.C. Edn
Bernard Lorjou "Pirouette au Galop" 1978 Expressionist Woodcut, Signed, H.C. Edn

Bernard Lorjou "Pirouette au Galop" 1978 Expressionist Woodcut, Signed, H.C. Edn

By Bernard Lorjou

Located in Miami, FL

BERNARD LORJOU – "PIROUETTE AU GALOP" ⚜ Woodcut ⚜ Hand Signed Lower Left ⚜ Numbered H.C. from the Edition of 80 ⚜ Conservation Frame ENERGY AND DRAMA FROM “LE CIRQUE” Created in 197...

Category

1970s Expressionist Bernard Lorjou Art

Materials

Woodcut

Harlequin

Harlequin

By Bernard Lorjou

Located in Boca Raton, FL

Bernard Lorjou (1908–1986) was a French painter, printmaker, and co-founder of the Expressionist movement L’Homme Témoin (“The Witness”). Known for his bold colors, dramatic composit...

Category

1950s Expressionist Bernard Lorjou Art

Materials

Paper, Oil

Yellow Clown

Yellow Clown

By Bernard Lorjou

Located in New York, NY

Bernard Lorjou has painting this subject "Harlequins" many times in watercolors, drawing , oil paintings and later on in the late 60's in acrylic, both on canvas, paper and some on m...

Category

1950s Expressionist Bernard Lorjou Art

Materials

Oil

Still life with duck and bouquet on table top

Still life with duck and bouquet on table top

By Bernard Lorjou

Located in New York, NY

This painting was completed at his home in the South of France between 1953-1955. There is no in painting, relining or cracks in this painting and is on the original stretcher. It is...

Category

1950s Expressionist Bernard Lorjou Art

Materials

Oil

Les Mants

Les Mants

By Bernard Lorjou

Located in New York, NY

Les Amants ( two lovers) is a very clear painting of very high quality for paintings of this size. It is very distinctive, very colorful and powerful. If interested call us through t...

Category

1980s Expressionist Bernard Lorjou Art

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Woman with dove  (To conqure hunger is to win Peace)

Woman with dove (To conqure hunger is to win Peace)

By Bernard Lorjou

Located in New York, NY

year: 1968 poster was made of the painting p.130 full black & white image ( million copies) For the benefit "Freedom from Hunger" Campaign" under the auspices of Food and Agriculture Org. of the United Nations.

Category

1960s Expressionist Bernard Lorjou Art

Materials

Oil

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Previously Available Items
"Le Hibou" (The Owl) Limited Edition Hand-Signed Woodblock by Bernard Lorjou
"Le Hibou" (The Owl) Limited Edition Hand-Signed Woodblock by Bernard Lorjou

"Le Hibou" (The Owl) Limited Edition Hand-Signed Woodblock by Bernard Lorjou

By Bernard Lorjou

Located in Encino, CA

“Le Hibou” (The Owl), a Limited Edition and Hand-Signed Woodblock by Bernard Lorjou, is a piece for the true collector. This whimsical, abstract, realist, expressionist portrait of an owl is perfect for those who have an affinity for abstracts, birds, nature, and modern art. Depending on your choice of frame, this can be the perfect fit in a myriad of room styles, from a contemporary or modern room to a cabin retreat or eclectic-styled home. Contact us today for custom framing options to best suit this artwork to the style of your residential or commercial project. In the early years, Bernard Lorjou talked mainly of Tintoretto and El Greco, and his enthusiasm for Rembrandt developed somewhat later. He professed not to like Van Gogh, but it seems evident that Van Gogh’s late Provençal landscapes must have emboldened him in his early approach to both landscape and portraiture. Lorjou was represented in numerous exhibitions through his career as an artist – in the great salons of Paris and Musee d’ Art Moderne – and alongside some of the leading artists of the 20th Century, including Pablo Picasso, Fernand Leger, Georges Rouault, Marc Chagall, and Raphael Soyer. Artist: BERNARD LORJOU (1908-1986) Title: LE HIBOU (THE OWL) Medium & Surface: COLOR WOODBLOCK ON AUVERGNE PAPER WITH DECKLED EDGES (unframed) Signed/Numbered: HAND SIGNED & NUMBERED IN PENCIL BY ARTIST (WITH LORJOU CUSTOM WATERMARK EMBEDDED IN PAPER) Number: 73 OF 150 Year Created: 1965 Country of Creation: FRANCE Image Area Dimensions:* 10 x 14 INCHES Paper Dimensions:* 16.875 x 22.125 INCHES *The border is not included in the image area dimensions. Frame Dimensions:** UNFRAMED **This work of art is being sold unframed. Mock frame images have been provided in the image bank to help you visualize the work after framing. Contact us for Custom Archival Framing options. Additional Info: THIS WORK HAS NEVER BEEN FRAMED, SO THERE IS NO HINGING OR OTHER REMNANTS FROM FRAMING, WHICH IS RARE TO FIND. IN 1965, LORJOU CREATED WOODBLOCKS FROM HIS ILLUSTRATIONS “LE BESTIAIRE OU CORTÈGE D'ORPHÉE” BY GUILLAUME APOLLINAIRE, WHICH WAS PUBLISHED BY EDITIONS D’AUTEUIL AND PRINTED BY ROBERT BLANCHET IN AN EDITION OF 230 COPIES. APOLLINAIRE WAS A HIGHLY ORIGINAL POET WHOSE VISUAL IMAGERY WITH SURREALIST JUXTAPOSITIONS INSPIRED MANY ARTISTS TO ILLUSTRATE HIS WORK. THE MOST POPULAR BEING ALCOOLS, FIRST PUBLISHED WITH A FRONTISPIECE BY PABLO PICASSO IN 1913. A NUMBER OF ARTISTS ILLUSTRATED HIS BESTIAIRE. IT IS A COLLECTION OF SHORT POEMS, EACH REPRESENTING THE QUALITIES OF A PARTICULAR ANIMAL. WHEN FIRST PUBLISHED, IN 1911, IT WAS ILLUSTRATED WITH WOODCUTS BY RAOUL DUFY. THE LORJOU WOODCUT FEATURED IN THIS LISTING IS ONE OF THOSE WORKS, “LE HIBOU.” IN THE PHOTO BANK, WE HAVE INCLUDED IMAGES OF HIS STUDIO WITH MANY OF THE WORKS FEATURED IN “LE BESTIAIRE,” WITH “LE HIBOU” (THE OWL) SHOWN LAYING ON THE FLOOR IN THE CENTER OF OTHER WORKS IN ONE OF THE IMAGES. A RARE PROOF OF THIS WORK IS IN THE PERMANENT COLLECTION OF THE VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM IN LONDON, BEQUEATHED BY POET AND SCHOLAR WALTER STRACHAN. IN APOLLINAIRE’S OWN WORDS, HE DESCRIBES THE OWL: “MY POOR HEART IS AN OWL WE NAIL, WE UNCLAMP, WE RECLAIM. BLOOD, ARDOR, HE IS EXHAUSTED. ALL THOSE WHO LOVE ME, I PRAISE THEM.” Artist Info/Bio: ARTIST BIOGRAPHY DOCUMENT IS INCLUDED Documentation: CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY IS INCLUDED About the Artist: Bernard Lorjou was born on September 9, 1908 in Blois, France. He was a born painter. In 1924, he headed to Paris, where he lived in extreme poverty in a small room on the rue Raspail. Eventually, his funds ran out, so he started sleeping in the Orsay train station. Within a year, he found work with the silk house Ducharne. He used his income at Ducharne to finance his formal studies at the Evening School of the City of Paris. At Ducharne, he designed patterns for prints that became sought by fashion houses ranging from Jacques Fath, Balmain, Lanvin, and Christian Dior, and worn by many notable women of the period, including Marlene Dietrich, Dolores del Rio, Jane Aubert...

Category

1960s Abstract Expressionist Bernard Lorjou Art

Materials

Woodcut

"Le Hibou" (The Owl) Limited Edition Hand-Signed Woodblock by Bernard Lorjou
"Le Hibou" (The Owl) Limited Edition Hand-Signed Woodblock by Bernard Lorjou

"Le Hibou" (The Owl) Limited Edition Hand-Signed Woodblock by Bernard Lorjou

By Bernard Lorjou

Located in Encino, CA

“Le Hibou” (The Owl), a Limited Edition and Hand-Signed Woodblock by Bernard Lorjou, is a piece for the true collector. This whimsical, abstract, realist, expressionist portrait of an owl is perfect for those who have an affinity for abstracts, birds, nature, and modern art. Depending on your choice of frame, this can be the perfect fit in a myriad of room styles, from a contemporary or modern room to a cabin retreat or eclectic-styled home. Contact us today for custom framing options to best suit this artwork to the style of your residential or commercial project. In the early years, Bernard Lorjou talked mainly of Tintoretto and El Greco, and his enthusiasm for Rembrandt developed somewhat later. He professed not to like Van Gogh, but it seems evident that Van Gogh’s late Provençal landscapes must have emboldened him in his early approach to both landscape and portraiture. Lorjou was represented in numerous exhibitions through his career as an artist – in the great salons of Paris and Musee d’ Art Moderne – and alongside some of the leading artists of the 20th Century, including Pablo Picasso, Fernand Leger, Georges Rouault, Marc Chagall, and Raphael Soyer. Artist: BERNARD LORJOU (1908-1986) Title: LE HIBOU (THE OWL) Medium & Surface: COLOR WOODBLOCK ON AUVERGNE PAPER WITH DECKLED EDGES (unframed) Signed/Numbered: HAND SIGNED & NUMBERED IN PENCIL BY ARTIST (WITH LORJOU CUSTOM WATERMARK EMBEDDED IN PAPER) Number: 70 OF 150 Year Created: 1965 Country of Creation: FRANCE Image Area Dimensions:* 10 x 14 INCHES *The border is not included in the image area dimensions. Frame Dimensions:** UNFRAMED **This work of art is being sold unframed. Mock frame images have been provided in the image bank to help you visualize the work after framing. Contact us for Custom Archival Framing options. Additional Info: THIS WORK HAS NEVER BEEN FRAMED, SO THERE IS NO HINGING OR OTHER REMNANTS FROM FRAMING, WHICH IS RARE TO FIND. IN 1965, LORJOU CREATED WOODBLOCKS FROM HIS ILLUSTRATIONS “LE BESTIAIRE OU CORTÈGE D'ORPHÉE” BY GUILLAUME APOLLINAIRE, WHICH WAS PUBLISHED BY EDITIONS D’AUTEUIL AND PRINTED BY ROBERT BLANCHET IN AN EDITION OF 230 COPIES. APOLLINAIRE WAS A HIGHLY ORIGINAL POET WHOSE VISUAL IMAGERY WITH SURREALIST JUXTAPOSITIONS INSPIRED MANY ARTISTS TO ILLUSTRATE HIS WORK. THE MOST POPULAR BEING ALCOOLS, FIRST PUBLISHED WITH A FRONTISPIECE BY PABLO PICASSO IN 1913. A NUMBER OF ARTISTS ILLUSTRATED HIS BESTIAIRE. IT IS A COLLECTION OF SHORT POEMS, EACH REPRESENTING THE QUALITIES OF A PARTICULAR ANIMAL. WHEN FIRST PUBLISHED, IN 1911, IT WAS ILLUSTRATED WITH WOODCUTS BY RAOUL DUFY. THE LORJOU WOODCUT FEATURED IN THIS LISTING IS ONE OF THOSE WORKS, “LE HIBOU.” IN THE PHOTO BANK, WE HAVE INCLUDED IMAGES OF HIS STUDIO WITH MANY OF THE WORKS FEATURED IN “LE BESTIAIRE,” WITH “LE HIBOU” (THE OWL) SHOWN LAYING ON THE FLOOR IN THE CENTER OF OTHER WORKS IN ONE OF THE IMAGES. A RARE PROOF OF THIS WORK IS IN THE PERMANENT COLLECTION OF THE VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM IN LONDON, BEQUEATHED BY POET AND SCHOLAR WALTER STRACHAN. IN APOLLINAIRE’S OWN WORDS, HE DESCRIBES THE OWL: “MY POOR HEART IS AN OWL WE NAIL, WE UNCLAMP, WE RECLAIM. BLOOD, ARDOR, HE IS EXHAUSTED. ALL THOSE WHO LOVE ME, I PRAISE THEM.” Artist Info/Bio: ARTIST BIOGRAPHY DOCUMENT IS INCLUDED Documentation: CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY IS INCLUDED About the Artist: Bernard Lorjou was born on September 9, 1908 in Blois, France. He was a born painter. In 1924, he headed to Paris, where he lived in extreme poverty in a small room on the rue Raspail. Eventually, his funds ran out, so he started sleeping in the Orsay train station. Within a year, he found work with the silk house Ducharne. He used his income at Ducharne to finance his formal studies at the Evening School of the City of Paris. At Ducharne, he designed patterns for prints that became sought by fashion houses ranging from Jacques Fath, Balmain, Lanvin, and Christian Dior, and worn by many notable women of the period, including Marlene Dietrich, Dolores del Rio, Jane Aubert...

Category

1960s Abstract Expressionist Bernard Lorjou Art

Materials

Woodcut

"Le Hibou" (The Owl) Limited Edition Hand-Signed Woodblock by Bernard Lorjou
"Le Hibou" (The Owl) Limited Edition Hand-Signed Woodblock by Bernard Lorjou

"Le Hibou" (The Owl) Limited Edition Hand-Signed Woodblock by Bernard Lorjou

By Bernard Lorjou

Located in Encino, CA

“Le Hibou” (The Owl), a Limited Edition and Hand-Signed Woodblock by Bernard Lorjou, is a piece for the true collector. This whimsical, abstract, realist, expressionist portrait of an owl is perfect for those who have an affinity for abstracts, birds, nature, and modern art. Depending on your choice of frame, this can be the perfect fit in a myriad of room styles, from a contemporary or modern room to a cabin retreat or eclectic-styled home. Contact us today for custom framing options to best suit this artwork to the style of your residential or commercial project. In the early years, Bernard Lorjou talked mainly of Tintoretto and El Greco, and his enthusiasm for Rembrandt developed somewhat later. He professed not to like Van Gogh, but it seems evident that Van Gogh’s late Provençal landscapes must have emboldened him in his early approach to both landscape and portraiture. Lorjou was represented in numerous exhibitions through his career as an artist – in the great salons of Paris and Musee d’ Art Moderne – and alongside some of the leading artists of the 20th Century, including Pablo Picasso, Fernand Leger, Georges Rouault, Marc Chagall, and Raphael Soyer. Artist: BERNARD LORJOU (1908-1986) Title: LE HIBOU (THE OWL) Medium & Surface: COLOR WOODBLOCK ON AUVERGNE PAPER WITH DECKLED EDGES (unframed) Signed/Numbered: HAND SIGNED & NUMBERED IN PENCIL BY ARTIST (WITH LORJOU CUSTOM WATERMARK EMBEDDED IN PAPER) Number: 70 OF 150 Year Created: 1965 Country of Creation: FRANCE Image Area Dimensions:* 10 x 14 INCHES *The border is not included in the image area dimensions. Frame Dimensions:** UNFRAMED **This work of art is being sold unframed. Mock frame images have been provided in the image bank to help you visualize the work after framing. Contact us for Custom Archival Framing options. Additional Info: THIS WORK HAS NEVER BEEN FRAMED, SO THERE IS NO HINGING OR OTHER REMNANTS FROM FRAMING, WHICH IS RARE TO FIND. IN 1965, LORJOU CREATED WOODBLOCKS FROM HIS ILLUSTRATIONS “LE BESTIAIRE OU CORTÈGE D'ORPHÉE” BY GUILLAUME APOLLINAIRE, WHICH WAS PUBLISHED BY EDITIONS D’AUTEUIL AND PRINTED BY ROBERT BLANCHET IN AN EDITION OF 230 COPIES. APOLLINAIRE WAS A HIGHLY ORIGINAL POET WHOSE VISUAL IMAGERY WITH SURREALIST JUXTAPOSITIONS INSPIRED MANY ARTISTS TO ILLUSTRATE HIS WORK. THE MOST POPULAR BEING ALCOOLS, FIRST PUBLISHED WITH A FRONTISPIECE BY PABLO PICASSO IN 1913. A NUMBER OF ARTISTS ILLUSTRATED HIS BESTIAIRE. IT IS A COLLECTION OF SHORT POEMS, EACH REPRESENTING THE QUALITIES OF A PARTICULAR ANIMAL. WHEN FIRST PUBLISHED, IN 1911, IT WAS ILLUSTRATED WITH WOODCUTS BY RAOUL DUFY. THE LORJOU WOODCUT FEATURED IN THIS LISTING IS ONE OF THOSE WORKS, “LE HIBOU.” IN THE PHOTO BANK, WE HAVE INCLUDED IMAGES OF HIS STUDIO WITH MANY OF THE WORKS FEATURED IN “LE BESTIAIRE,” WITH “LE HIBOU” (THE OWL) SHOWN LAYING ON THE FLOOR IN THE CENTER OF OTHER WORKS IN ONE OF THE IMAGES. A RARE PROOF OF THIS WORK IS IN THE PERMANENT COLLECTION OF THE VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM IN LONDON, BEQUEATHED BY POET AND SCHOLAR WALTER STRACHAN. IN APOLLINAIRE’S OWN WORDS, HE DESCRIBES THE OWL: “MY POOR HEART IS AN OWL WE NAIL, WE UNCLAMP, WE RECLAIM. BLOOD, ARDOR, HE IS EXHAUSTED. ALL THOSE WHO LOVE ME, I PRAISE THEM.” Artist Info/Bio: ARTIST BIOGRAPHY DOCUMENT IS INCLUDED Documentation: CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY IS INCLUDED About the Artist: Bernard Lorjou was born on September 9, 1908 in Blois, France. He was a born painter. In 1924, he headed to Paris, where he lived in extreme poverty in a small room on the rue Raspail. Eventually, his funds ran out, so he started sleeping in the Orsay train station. Within a year, he found work with the silk house Ducharne. He used his income at Ducharne to finance his formal studies at the Evening School of the City of Paris. At Ducharne, he designed patterns for prints that became sought by fashion houses ranging from Jacques Fath, Balmain, Lanvin, and Christian Dior, and worn by many notable women of the period, including Marlene Dietrich, Dolores del Rio, Jane Aubert...

Category

1960s Abstract Expressionist Bernard Lorjou Art

Materials

Woodcut

La Carpe, Fish on Table Still Life
La Carpe, Fish on Table Still Life

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In the tradition of Van Gogh, Picasso, Soutine and Buffet, Lorjou has a strong identity as an artist. This expressive and painterly still life of a fish would be a masterful additio...

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"Harlequin" Expressionist Cubist Oil Portrait on Canvas Board & Rich Colors

"Harlequin" Expressionist Cubist Oil Portrait on Canvas Board & Rich Colors

By Bernard Lorjou

Located in Detroit, MI

"Harlequin" is exploding with bright primary Expressionist colors of rich red, yellow, green and blue in a Mid-20th century Cubist style. Bernard Lorjou was a French painter of Expressionism and a founding member of the anti-abstract art Group "L'homme Témoin". He was born in Blois, in the Loire et Cher department of France to an impoverished family just before World War I. Lorjou was to receive the bulk of his education, as he put it, “in the streets.” At the age of 13, with his desire to learn to paint, he left for Paris and lived through years of hardship and often slept in metro and train stations while working without pay as an errand boy for a printing house. He eventually found a position as a silk designer where he met his future wife Yvonne Mottet, also an artist and painter. Lorjou finds success as a silk designer. Over the next 30 years, his designs not only adorn the bodies of many of the world's most prominent women but also provide him an income that allow him to paint on a full-time basis. Lorjou exhibits for the first time at the Salon des Indépendents in 1928. During travels through Spain in 1931, he is stricken by the expressive strong styles of the artists El Greco, Velasquez, and most of all Goya. Inspired by Goya, Lorjou begins painting socio-political events. In 1948, he shares the Critic’s Award with Bernard Buffet. In the same year, Lorjou forms the art group “l’Homme Temoin” with art critic Jean Bouret by declaring that "man is an eater of red meat, fried potatoes, fruit and cheese". The group bands together in an effort to defend figurative painting against the abstract movement and will eventually attract other painters such as Bernard Buffet, Jean Couty, André Minaux, Charazac, and Simone Dat. Though his style changes throughout his career, his constants are the power of his images and the rich precision of his use of vibrant color. He is supported by prominent art figures like Georges Wildenstein and Domenica Walter, the widow of Paul Guillaume. Lorjou becomes known for his extravagant exhibits and combative spirit. His works are exhibited widely throughout the world, namely in France, the United States, and in Japan. Lorjou’s body of work includes thousands of paintings, a collection wood engravings, ceramic and bronze sculptures, lithographs, illustrated books, socially oriented posters...

Category

Mid-20th Century Abstract Expressionist Bernard Lorjou Art

Materials

Oil, Canvas, Board

nature morte
nature morte

Bernard Lorjounature morte

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H 21.26 in W 15.36 in D 1.97 in

nature morte

By Bernard Lorjou

Located in Nice, FR

Wonderful painting by the french painter Lorjou: an abstract still life with flowers. Bernard Lorjou (September 9, 1908 – January 26, 1986) was a French painter of Expressionism and ...

Category

1950s Abstract Bernard Lorjou Art

Materials

Oil

Bernard Lorjou, " Paris " Framed Lithograph
Bernard Lorjou, " Paris " Framed Lithograph

Bernard Lorjou, " Paris " Framed Lithograph

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H 33.47 in W 49.22 in L 33.47 in

Bernard Lorjou, " Paris " Framed Lithograph

By Bernard Lorjou

Located in Saint-Ouen, FR

Bernard Lorjou (1908-1986) Paris Lithograph Signed Lower Right Ed. 62 / 100 Framed.  

Category

1970s French Post-Modern Vintage Bernard Lorjou Art

Materials

Paper

Bernard Lorjou art for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Bernard Lorjou art available for sale on 1stDibs. You can also browse by medium to find art by Bernard Lorjou in oil paint, paint, lithograph and more. Much of the original work by this artist or collective was created during the 20th century and is mostly associated with the Expressionist style. Not every interior allows for large Bernard Lorjou art, so small editions measuring 18 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Pierre Ambrogiani, Edouard Goerg, and Henri d'Anty. Bernard Lorjou art prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $250 and tops out at $75,000, while the average work can sell for $4,455.