Henri Gaudier-Brzeska

Henri Gaudier-Brzeska (born the October 4th 1891 with Saint-Jean-of-Sling (Loiret); died with the combat the June 5th 1915 with Neuville-Saint-Vaast (Pas-de-Calais), is a French sculptor.

Biography

  • Henri Gaudier is born in the family from a carpenter-carpenter from the suburbs from Orleans. Excel pupil of the elementary school, it posts as of childhood an attraction for the drawing. Entered at 12 years at the higher Elementary school of Orleans, it pointed out there by its English professor, who makes him obtain a grant for England. It remains several years there, and carries on various activities there. It goes then to Germany, then returns to France, in Paris.
  • In 1910, the perfect knowledge of English of Henri Gaudier enables him to enter as translator to the editions Armand Colin. It is at that time that it makes knowledge in Paris, with the Bibliothèque Holy-Genevieve, of Sophie Brzeska, a twenty year old elder Polonaise its, with the ambitions of novelist, with whom it will live from now on a relation - platonic? - often stormy. Badly accepted with Saint-Jean-of-Sling, especially by the Gaudier family because of the difference in age, the couple decides to turn over to England. To avoid new difficulties, Henri Gaudier and Sophie Brzeska decide to join their two names and to be made pass for brother and sister.
  • Arrived at London without money nor supports, the household has large material problems. Henri Gaudier finds a small use of sculptor. He there meets Wyndham Lewis and Ezra Pound, and becomes founding member of the movement vorticist.
  • In 1912, by anarchistic convictions and antimilitarists, Henri Gaudier refuses to answer the call of the military service which reached him, which prohibits any return in France to him. However, when the First World War bursts, he contacts the embassy from France to London in order to regularize his military situation. Regarded as deserter, it finishes, after various difficulties, by being built-in a regiment of infantry. Under the uniform, the former antimilitarist quickly becomes a burning patriot who points out himself by his courage with fire. Corporal in January 1915, sergeant the next month, it follows courses to become officer. In June 1915, in the head of his men, the Gaudier sergeant takes part in the attack of the position of Neuville-Saint-Vaast, into the Pas-de-Calais, and fall, struck of a ball in full head, at the 23 years age. After her death, his/her partner sinks in mental mislaying. She dies in 1925, brutally during an exposure according to some, interned in a psychiatric hospital according to others.

Work

  • On the artistic level, Henri Gaudier-Brzeska was initially influence by Auguste Rodin but also by the primitive sculpture which he discovered with the British Museum and with the Victoria and Albert Museum. Its works are direct, dynamic and leave apparent the traces of its artistic work. Gaudier-Brzeska worked only four years only as sculptor, and yet its sculptures and its thousands of drawing influenced much the French and English art of the 20th century. One can see his works with the National museum of Modern art in Paris, with the Musée of Beautiful arts of Orleans, with the Tate Gallery in London or in the museums of Chicago, New York or Ottawa.
  • the correspondence of Jim Ede, conservative with Touches Gallery and friend of Gaudier-Brzeska was published in a book Savage Messiah . It is of this book that Ken Russell for its film was inspired on Gaudier-Brzeska ( Savage Messiah in 1972).

Some sculptures

More

Ezra Pound wrote over their London years an upsetting testimony, which is also one of the most enthralling contributions to the history of the art of the XXe century. In a postscript of 1934, he adds: " Gaudier is irreplaceable. Nobody appeared able to take his succession. Brancusi continued only the conquest of the marble. "
  • " Henri Gaudier-Brzeska" by Ezra Pound, photographs Christian Roger, 155 illustrations in two-color printing, 1992.
  • Roger Secrétain, Gaudier-Brzeska, 1891-1915. A cursed sculptor, Paris, Time, 1980.
  • Serge Basket maker, famous Men of the XXe century in Loiret , Romorantin, Editions CPE, 2001.

Relations between Henri Gaudier and Sophie Brzeska

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