Germaine Richier
Encyclopedia
Germaine Richier was a French
sculptor.
Born in Grans
, Richier began her studies at the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Montpellier
; in 1926 she went to work with Antoine Bourdelle
, remaining in his studio until his death in 1929. There she became acquainted with Alberto Giacometti
, although the two were never close. Richier for her part was more interested in a classical
approach to sculpture, preferring to work from a live model and then reworking the final product. She also met César Baldaccini
at this stage in her career. In 1936, she won the Prix Blumenthal
.
During the war, she met Marino Marini, in exile in Switzerland.
Richier's early work was fantastic, combining classical forms with human-animal hybrids and depicting creatures such as the spider
and the hydra
. Her style became less figurative after World War II
; the bodily deformations which she favored as subjects were more accentuated in an attempt to convey a greater sense of anguish.
The greatest controversy surrounding Richier's work came about with her creation of a statue of Christ
for the church of Notre-Dame de Toute Grâce du Plateau d'Assy
. Meant to depict the physical and spiritual torment of Christ, the sculpture was ordered removed from sight by the bishop
of Annecy
. This event was the catalyst for a great argument about the nature and role of sacred art
which took place throughout the 1950s, during which many artists found themselves opposed to the traditional role of religious and academic art. Some have also described the controversy as a debate over the nature of God in modern society.
Richier, for her part, gained some notoriety from the entire business, but seemed to retreat into obscurity again before her death in 1959.
Retrospectives of her work were held at the Peggy Guggenheim Collection
, and the Fondation Maeght
in Saint-Paul, Alpes-Maritimes
.
Her works are in the Tuileries Garden
, Musée Fabre
, and the Tate Collection
.
Richier was celebrated on a postage stamp
issued by La Poste
in 1993 as part of a commemorative series depicting artists.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
sculptor.
Born in Grans
Grans
Grans is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in southern France.-Population:-References:*...
, Richier began her studies at the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Montpellier
Montpellier
-Neighbourhoods:Since 2001, Montpellier has been divided into seven official neighbourhoods, themselves divided into sub-neighbourhoods. Each of them possesses a neighbourhood council....
; in 1926 she went to work with Antoine Bourdelle
Antoine Bourdelle
Antoine Bourdelle , originally Émile Antoine Bourdelle, was an influential and prolific French sculptor, painter, and teacher.-Career:...
, remaining in his studio until his death in 1929. There she became acquainted with Alberto Giacometti
Alberto Giacometti
Alberto Giacometti was a Swiss sculptor, painter, draughtsman, and printmaker.Alberto Giacometti was born in the canton Graubünden's southerly alpine valley Val Bregaglia and came from an artistic background; his father, Giovanni, was a well-known post-Impressionist painter...
, although the two were never close. Richier for her part was more interested in a classical
Art in Ancient Greece
The arts of ancient Greece have exercised an enormous influence on the culture of many countries all over the world, particularly in the areas of sculpture and architecture. In the West, the art of the Roman Empire was largely derived from Greek models...
approach to sculpture, preferring to work from a live model and then reworking the final product. She also met César Baldaccini
César Baldaccini
César Baldaccini , usually called César was a noted French sculptor.César was at the forefront of the Nouveau Réalisme movement with his radical compressions , expansions , and fantastic representations of animals and insects.- Biography :He...
at this stage in her career. In 1936, she won the Prix Blumenthal
Prix Blumenthal
The Prix Blumenthal was a grant or stipend awarded through the philanthropy of Florence Meyer Blumenthal — and the foundation she created, Fondation franco-américaine Florence Blumenthal — to discover young French artists, aid them financially, and in the process draw the United States...
.
During the war, she met Marino Marini, in exile in Switzerland.
Richier's early work was fantastic, combining classical forms with human-animal hybrids and depicting creatures such as the spider
Spider
Spiders are air-breathing arthropods that have eight legs, and chelicerae with fangs that inject venom. They are the largest order of arachnids and rank seventh in total species diversity among all other groups of organisms...
and the hydra
Lernaean Hydra
In Greek mythology, the Lernaean Hydra was an ancient nameless serpent-like chthonic water beast, with reptilian traits, that possessed many heads — the poets mention more heads than the vase-painters could paint, and for each head cut off it grew two more — and poisonous breath so virulent even...
. Her style became less figurative after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
; the bodily deformations which she favored as subjects were more accentuated in an attempt to convey a greater sense of anguish.
The greatest controversy surrounding Richier's work came about with her creation of a statue of Christ
Christ
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
for the church of Notre-Dame de Toute Grâce du Plateau d'Assy
Notre-Dame de Toute Grâce du Plateau d'Assy
The church of Notre-Dame de Toute Grâce du Plateau d'Assy is a Roman Catholic church in France, constructed on the plateau d'Assy between 1937 and 1946. It faces Mont Blanc, and is within the territory of the commune of Passy, in the Haute-Savoie department...
. Meant to depict the physical and spiritual torment of Christ, the sculpture was ordered removed from sight by the bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of Annecy
Annecy
Annecy is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.It lies on the northern tip of Lake Annecy , 35 kilometres south of Geneva.-Administration:...
. This event was the catalyst for a great argument about the nature and role of sacred art
Sacred art
Sacred art is imagery intended to uplift the mind to the spiritual. Sacred art involves the ritual and cultic practices and practical and operative aspects of the path of the spiritual realization within the bosom of the tradition in question....
which took place throughout the 1950s, during which many artists found themselves opposed to the traditional role of religious and academic art. Some have also described the controversy as a debate over the nature of God in modern society.
Richier, for her part, gained some notoriety from the entire business, but seemed to retreat into obscurity again before her death in 1959.
Retrospectives of her work were held at the Peggy Guggenheim Collection
Peggy Guggenheim Collection
The Peggy Guggenheim Collection is an art museum on the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy. It is one of several museums of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation....
, and the Fondation Maeght
Fondation Maeght
Fondation Maeght is a museum of modern art situated in Saint-Paul de Vence in the south of France about 25km from Nice. It was founded by Marguerite and Aimé Maeght in 1964 and houses paintings, sculptures, collages, ceramics and all forms of modern art....
in Saint-Paul, Alpes-Maritimes
Saint-Paul, Alpes-Maritimes
Saint-Paul or Saint-Paul-de-Vence is a commune in the Alpes-Maritimes department in southeastern France. One of the oldest medieval towns on the French Riviera, it is well-known for its modern and contemporary art museums and galleries such as Fondation Maeght which is located nearby.The property...
.
Her works are in the Tuileries Garden
Tuileries Garden
The Tuileries Garden is a public garden located between the Louvre Museum and the Place de la Concorde in the 1st arrondissement of Paris. Created by Catherine de Medicis as the garden of the Tuileries Palace in 1564, it was first opened to the public in 1667, and became a public park after the...
, Musée Fabre
Musée Fabre
The Musée Fabre is a museum in the southern French city of Montpellier, capital of the Hérault département.The museum was founded by François-Xavier Fabre, a Montpellier painter, in 1825. Beginning in 2003, the museum underwent a 61.2 million euro renovation, which was completed in January 2007...
, and the Tate Collection
Tate
-Places:*Tate, Georgia, a town in the United States*Tate County, Mississippi, a county in the United States*Táté, the Hungarian name for Totoi village, Sântimbru Commune, Alba County, Romania*Tate, Filipino word for States...
.
Richier was celebrated on a postage stamp
Postage stamp
A postage stamp is a small piece of paper that is purchased and displayed on an item of mail as evidence of payment of postage. Typically, stamps are made from special paper, with a national designation and denomination on the face, and a gum adhesive on the reverse side...
issued by La Poste
La Poste (France)
La Poste is the mail service of France, which also operates postal services in the French Overseas Departments of Réunion, Guadeloupe, Martinique and French Guiana, and the territorial collectivities of Saint Pierre and Miquelon and Mayotte...
in 1993 as part of a commemorative series depicting artists.
External links
- "Encounter With Germaine Richier", Paul Guth and Neil Chapman, Yale French Studies, No. 19/20, Contemporary Art (1957), pp. 78-84
- "CHRIST D'ASSY I", Sotheby's, 13 December 2006