Henry Simon (1910-1987) Artiste peintre, décorateur, céramiste
Association Les Amis d'Henry Simon
Les Amis d’Henry Simon
See the site in machine translation French-English.
The association Les Amis d’Henry Simon
welcomes you on its website dedicated to Henry Simon (1910-1987),
talented painter, great artist, whose abundant works (paintings,
drawings, ceramics) reflect his generous soul.
The website is in French but pictures make it easy to visit even if you
don't speak the language.
The non-profit association (law of 1901) was created in 1990, three
years after Henry Simon's death.
Main objectives
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Ongoing inventory of his works
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To set up exhibitions, support initiatives related to the artist
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To publish documents (books, leaflets, video-films) about his life and work
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To protect his legacy
Please contact us
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gestionnairesite@henrysimon.com (website management
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presidente@henrysimon.com (Association management)
A biography of Henry Simon
Henry Simon was born on
At a very early age, he showed a real gift for drawing, and received
support at school where he learned classical drawing.
In 1928, he was admitted as a student at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in
In 1930, he was awarded the prix Decré, presented every
year to a young artist.
In 1932, he was admitted to the Ecole nationale des Beaux-Arts in
Back in Vendée in 1934, he dedicated himself to painting. He met the
painter Jean Launois and became a member of a group of painters known as
the Groupe de Saint-Jean-de-Monts.
“My vision as a painter was born from my country; I only have to look
inside to celebrate its beauty.”
H.S.
“I was very lucky to be part of the generation following in the
footsteps of Charles Milcendeau.”
H.S.
In 1939, he was mobilised. Taken prisoner in 1940, he was sent to stalag
IB in eastern
“At the time, I was overwhelmed by all there was to convey. There was no
pretending then, only the naked self; for a painter, that was a
tremendous, a huge lesson.” H. S.
When he came back to
In 1945 he resumed the pre-war rhythm of his paintings exhibitions.
In 1950, he married Monique Porteau with whom he had eight children:
Jean-Luc, Dominique, Anne, Elisabeth, Pascal, Frédérique, Véronique and
Olivier. That same year, he went to
“I went to
From 1950 to 1960, Henry Simon worked on decorating public buildings: a
fresco in the city casino of Les Sables-d'Olonne, paintings for the
casino La Pastourelle in Saint-Jean-de-Monts.
From 1960, his work was centered on a chosen theme: Local scenes,
Fishermen, Youth, Circus, Dance, Games, Music, Water, Picnics, Faith,
Portraits — treated with charcoal, pastel, water-colour, gouache, oil.
Henry Simon said about his love of water as a theme: “I
realised how important water is for pictorial purposes. Water is an
always changing plastic element which allows a thousand different
visions in a very short time.” H.S.
In 1968, his paintings were presented to the Peintres
témoins de leur temps exhibition.
One of them, titled My Eighth Children, showing his
family, offers a very colourful and poised composition, and received
great acclaim.
A first Rétrospective Henry Simon was set up in 1971 at
the city museum in Les Sables-d'Olonne.
In 1976, he was promoted Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.
In 1978, he received the Charles Milcendeau award, and that same year, a
second Rétrospective was set up at the Palais des
Congrès in Saint-Jean-de-Monts.
Henry Simon died on
Biography
by Gaston Herbreteau.
Translated by Hélène Ladjadj
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