Miró, Calder, Giacometti and Braque
Aimé Maeght and His Artists at the Royal Academy of Arts
Oct 3, 2008
London's Royal Academy of Art, in collaboration with the Maeght Foundation, is exhibiting more than 140 items selected from the Foundation's collection including paintings, sculptures, ceramics, prints and artists’ books together with personal and emotive articles belonging to Maeght's children and grandchildren. In addition, rare film footage of Maeght and his family relaxing with the artists will also be shown.
The Maeght Foundation
Miró, Calder, Giacometti, Braque: Aimé Maeght and His Artists explores the close relationship between Aimé and Marguerite Maeght and the artists they encouraged. The Maeghts established the Galerie Maeght in Paris in November 1945. Post-war Paris was in a bouyant mood and more than ready for the Maeghts' enthusiastic and adventurous approach to art. The Maeght Foundation (Fondation Marguerite et Aimé Maeght) was established in 1964.
Henri Matisse and Pierre Bonnard
Pierre Bonnard (1867-1947) and Henri Matisse (1869-1954) helped Maeght set up his gallery and the show opens with a room devoted to their work. Several of Matisse's drawings are on display including the Portrait of Marguerite Maeght, (1944). Bonnard's painting Summer (1909) dominates this section and is accompanied by several of his sketches of the Maeght children.
Joan Miró and Alexander Calder
A second gallery is devoted entirely to the Catalan artist Joan Miró (1893-1983), and American sculptor Alexander Calder (1898-1976). Among Calder's main artistic achievements was the incorporation of movement into sculpture. In 1931 artist Marcel Duchamp used the word "mobile" to describe Calder's moving sculptures. In later life Calder became known for giant sculptures, "stabiles", many of which have become landmarks around the world. Two Spirals (Deux spirales, 1974) is an example of a lithograph by Calder.
Calder's close friend Joan Miró was described by many as a surrealist but he refused to become an official member of the Surrealist group. Membership of such a group would have compromised his freedom to explore his own artistic interests. The exhibition features several pieces by Miró including Joy of a Little Girl in Front of the Sun (Joie d’une fillette devant le soleil, 1960) and The Birth of Day III (Naissance du jour III, 1964).
Alberto Giacometti and Georges Braque
Pieces by Alberto Giacometti and Georges Braque occupy another room. Giacometti (1901-1966) went through a phase when his sculptures became minute. On returning to Paris in 1945, after a four-year stay in Switzerland, Giacometti brought back all his work in six matchboxes! The exhibition features several items by Giacometti including his well-known piece Spoon Woman (1926), and the large pieces Standing Woman and Walking Man, both created in 1960.
Georges Braque (1882 -1963) was born into a family of painters and decorators. He studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in his spare time and during his long career produced paintings, graphics, lithographs and sculptures. One of the highlights of this exhibition is Hesperus - Theogony (Hesperis - Theogonie, 1939).
Catalogue
The exhibition will be accompanied by a 160-page catalogue entitled: Behind The Mirror, Aimé Maeght and His Artists Bonnard, Matisse, Miró, Calder, Giacometti, Braque. The book includes 200 illustrations and explores the remarkable influence of the Maeghts on 20th-century art.
The exhibition, which is accompanied by a programme of public events, runs until 2January 2009 and full details can be obtained from the Royal Academy of Arts.
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