MASSON

André Massson was born on January 4, 1896 in Balagny in Oise department in France. Between 1904 and 1912, the Masson family lives in Brussels, where since 1907, André Masson enrols the Royal Academy of the Art schools. In 1912, he joined Paris and studies in the École Nationale Supérieure of the Art schools. Mobilized in December 1914 and served as foot-soldier then demobilized in 1917 after serious injuries, Masson will be durabily marked by the horrors of the war. Between 1918 and 1924, André Masson realize several paintings but the artist cannot live of his painting, so the feed his family Masson works as decorator in a ceramist workshop and as proof reader for the official jounal. In 1921, Masson meet Miro and Kahnweiller, then the following year Andre Malraux and the painters André Derain and Juan Gris. In 1923, exhibition of his paintings at the Simon gallery and first encounter with surrealism. In 1924, Masson meets Eluard, realized drawings and draws his first engravings and lithographs. The prints will have a major rule in the work of Andre Masson. This same year, he will illustrate of four etchings a book of George Limbour “soleil bas”, the artist will write also a text entitled “hommage à Paul Klee”. Between 1924 and 1929, Masson collaborates in the following revues “la Revolution surréaliste”, “Cahiers d' Art”, “Minotaure”. These same years, Masson alsoillustrates “Simulacre” of Michel Leiris, “Ximénès Malinjoude” of Jouhandeau, and realise his first paintings with sand. In 1929, Masson breaks away with surrealism and André Breton. The following years, André Masson exhibit in the United States, (Gallery Pierre Matisse in NY in 1932), and cancels the contract that has bound him with Kahnweiler to work with the dealer Paul Rosenberg (it will return towards Kanhweiller since 1933). In 1931, Masson illustrate “l'Anus Solaire” of George Bataille. In 1933, Masson meets Hayter which initiates him with the technique of the copperplate engraving. Between 1934 and 1936, Masson settles in Spain where are born his two sons, Luis and Diego. After return in Paris, Masson reconciled with the surrealist, then had many exhibitions until the second world war. He exile in London with several painters and writers (Brauner, Hérold, Lam, Breton etc) then travel to the United States where the Gallery Pierre Matisse shows his paintings. Between 1946 and 1951, Masson illustrates many books : “Les conquérants” of Malraux for which he develops a process for printing several colors in only one stone (the book is illustrated by lithographs), still lithographs for “L'Espoir” of Andre Malraux, then “Voyage à Venise”. In 1955, original engravings for the book “Hain Teny” of Jean Paulhan. These same years several galleries shows the prints of the artist and in 1958, Masson sees his first retrospective prints. Between 1959 and 1964, Masson illustrates many works for the publisher Pierre André Benoit, these same years, publication of “Une saison en enfer” of Rimbaud, (illustrated with original etchings of Masson). In 1964, exhibition of prints in the Museum of Tel Aviv and retrospective in the Museum of Modern Art of Paris (235 exhibit works). In 1973, André Masson takes part in the André Malraux exhibition to the Maeght Foundation and write the foreword of the catalogue. The following years, several exhibitions for his illustrated books, his prints and his paintings (for the books, retrospective in Nimes and Barcelona in 1985). Masson dies on October 27, 1987 in Paris.