« Always let your imagination run wild and try to follow this untamed wanderer which, despite everything, is the greatest virtue of a true artist.»
The reflect of a blazing time
The term Art Deco derives from the 1925 "Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs Industriels et Modernes", (International Exposition of Modern Industrial and Decorative Art) which was held in Paris.
That exhibition gathered 21 different countries and welcomed more than fifty million visitors.
During the exhibition, Max LE VERRIER received a gold medal.
Art Deco, which is widely considered to be an eclectic form of elegant and stylish modernism, was influenced by a variety of sources - among them were the so-called "primitive" arts of Africa; as well as historical styles such as Greco-Roman Classicism; and the art of Babylon, Assyria, and Ancient Egypt updated by aerodynamic designs.
An original and prestigious collection
When the gesture becomes Art
At that time, the women’s liberation movement was making significant progress. Bobbed hair and short skirts (to dance the lively Charleston) characterized the iconic figure of the “flapper” called garçonne in French ("boy" with a feminine suffix).
The famous women closely identified with this style were Suzanne LENGLEN (tennis champion and symbol of the graphic design movement), Tamara de LEMPICKA (painter), and Joséphine BAKER (dancer).
The famous CLARTE by Max LE VERRIER, created in 1928, is also a perfect illustration of the « garçonne ».
This new “in motion”, slim and slender, shortly dressed, female silhouette, was an important source of inspiration for Max LE VERRIER when he created his collection of dancers, gymnasts, and Art Deco lamps.
He continued to work on this theme and one concerning animals using a precise linear fluidity and simple shapes.
The captivating beauty of his creations, not only can be judged by the extreme detail of the hands and faces sculpted, but also by the elegance and charm of the poses of his sculptures.
JEU
BAGHERA
LUMINA
LYSIS
PLUIE
When I work on a piece of his art, I am under the impression that it is a precious witness of that fascinating period.
I hope you have a pleasant time visiting these pages dedicated to my great-grand father, as well as his sculptor friends : Pierre LE FAGUAYS, Raymonde GUERBE, Marcel BOURAINE, Jean LEMOINE, Charles CHARLES, Edmond Jules MASSON, Charles DELHOMMEAU…
It is my desire that this website allows artists, collectors, and art-amateurs to gain a better understanding of my great-grand father’s work and life, or simply offers to the curious the pleasure to admire…
Damien BLANCHET - LE VERRIER
Great-grandson of Max LE VERRIER
