Raymond Duchamp-Villon

Raymond Duchamp-Villon , born Pierre-Maurice-Raymond Duchamp with Damville (the Eure) the November 5th 1876 and died in Cannes (the Alpes-Maritimes) the October 9th 1918, was a sculptor French.

Raymond Duchamp-Villon was the second wire of Eugene and Lucie Duchamp. Four of their six children were going to become accomplished artists. He was the brother of:

Jacques Villon (1875-1963), painter, engraver
Marcel Duchamp (1887-1968), painter, sculptor and author
Suzanne Duchamp (1889-1963), painter

Whereas it is still young, his/her maternal grandfather Emile Frederic Nicole, made business man and artist, teaches art with his grandchildren. Of 1894 with 1898, Raymond Duchamp-Villon lived with his Jacques brother in the district Montmartre during its studies of medicine in Sorbonne. In 1898, a rheumatic fever which leaves it partially handicapped obliges it to give up some time its studies. This unforeseen event, which changes the course of its life, encourages it to develop the interest which it carries to the sculpture. It starts by producing small statuettes. Primarily self-educated, it quickly reaches nevertheless a very high level of skill and smoothness. In 1902 and 1903, it exposes to the Salon of the National company of the Art schools . To differ from his brother Marcel Duchamp, and in reference to his brother Jacques Villon, it starts to sign all its works “Duchamp-Villon”.

Its first exposure takes place in 1905 with the Salon of autumn and an exposure to the Galerie Legrip with Rouen with his/her Jacques brother. Two years later, they move for Puteaux in Parisian suburbs where the three Duchamp brothers belong to the regular meetings of the group of artists and critics known since under the name of Groupe of Puteaux. The reputation of Raymond is such as it is named member of the jury of the section sculpture of the Salon of autumn of 1907. He will play an important role in the advent of the Cubisme.

In 1911, it exposes to the Contemporary Art gallery with Paris and, the following year, its work is included in an exposure organized by the Duchamp brothers to the Salon of the Gold Section to the Galerie Boétie . Each of the three Duchamp brothers on then the occasion to present its work to important the Armory Show with New York which contributes to introduce the Modern art with the the United States. In 1913, it takes part in the exposures of the Galerie Andre Groult to Paris, the Galerie of the artistic Cercle Mánes with Prague, and in 1914 with the gallery Der Sturm with Berlin.

Affected to the medical departments of the French Army during the First World War, it manages to continue to work with its principal sculpture, the Horse , whose original is exposed today to the Art Institute off Chicago. End 1916, it contracts the Typhoid fever whereas it is confined in Champagne. It is evacuated with the military hospital of Cannes where its promising career is completed. Its untimely death at the 42 years age explains why Raymond Duchamp-Villon, considered as one of the pioneers of the modern sculpture, remains little known.

In 1967, his/her Marcel brother contributed to assemble to Rouen an exposure entitled “ Duchamp: Jacques Villon, Raymond Duchamp-Villon, Marcel Duchamp, Suzanne Duchamp. ” part of this family exposure then was shown with the National museum Modern art of the Center Georges-Pompidou of Paris.

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