- Paul Monnier
Paul Monnier, Montana-Vermala 1907 - Geneva 1982, painter.
Biographical note
1924 - 1930: Studies at the "Ecole des Beaux-Arts" in Geneva.Numerous trips in Italy and France.Member of the "".
"The "" occurred simply and effortlessly, naturally putting aside any cumbersome conceit and any personnal outburst. ...These artists belong to this post-war generation which no longer dreams of superman. The subtleties of their craft come before aesthetic theories. Whenever laziness, alcohol, Bohemia and fiddling don't tempt them, they are capable of efforts far more disciplined than those we have made in the past 30 years.In a nutshell, long live the post-war youth that we have so run down." (
Alexandre Cingria , 1929).1930-1932: Journey in India, Indo-China, Tonkin.In a letter to C. J., Paul Monnier writes: "I'm wasting my time trying to abolish this job from my life. Painting is my job, my real and only job." (Vizagapatam, June 3rd 1931).
After he returns, Paul Monnier devotes himself to painting, living successively in Geneva (1932 -1936), Sierre (Valais, 1936 - 1949), Lausanne (1949 - 1970) and Geneva again (1970 - 1982).
Exhibitions
Switzerland: Geneva; Sion; Sierre; Martigny; Zurich.
Italy: Milano, Ve Triennale.
Spain: Madrid, International Exhibition of Arts and Crafts.
Austria: Salzburg, Kirchliche Kunst.
USSR: Moscow, Swiss Artists.
France: Paris, Salon international de l'Art libre; Paris, Salon des Artistes français (invited).
Mural paintings Stained glass Mosaic
India: Yenubaruvu.
France: Le Fayet, Eglise Notre-Dame des Alpes (Architect:
Maurice Novarina ).Switzerland, among more than 60 realisations:
St. Maurice's Abbey , Sion (Cathedral), Sion (St Ursule's Chapel), Crans-Montana (Parish church), Viège (St Martin's church), Zurich (St Konrad's church), Zurich-Enge (Three-Kings' church), Dubendorf (Maria- Friedenskirche), Lausanne (St Joseph's church), Geneva (Notre-Dame's basilic).Paul Monnier worked with
Alexandre Cingria andGino Severini (Lausanne, Notre-Dame du Valentin).Illustrations
"Nourritures valaisannes".
Maurice Zermatten , LUF, Fribourg, 1938."Notre ami le Vin".
Pierre Courthion , W. Egloff, Fribourg, 1943."Le parcours du Haut-Rhône".
Charles-Albert Cingria , W. Egloff, Fribourg, 1944."Le bazar de la Charité".
Paul Morand , Club des Bibliophiles, Genève, 1944."Paul Monnier's work is firstly and mainly "painting".This truism conceals a constant proceeding, highly true to itself and to the craft - which is not a minor achievement given a world where creative activity seems to be more and more confined by concept and word jugglers!Cancelled movement, suspended vibration, objects and figures immobilized in their inmost loneliness, our glance seizes the composition like a wordless poem, a soundless music. The full circle of the creative route is then completed and painting joins its own mystery." (Bernard Zumthor, 1975).
For more paintings, see other languages (on the left of the screen).
Bibliography
Maurice Zermatten , "Paul Monnier, peintre", Editions de la Baconnière, Neuchâtel, 1938.Bernard Zumthor, "Paul Monnier", Editions de la Matze, Sion, 1975.
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