Lucienne Bloch
Encyclopedia
Lucienne Bloch was born in Geneva
, Switzerland, and came to America with her family in 1917. She was the youngest child of internationally famous composer and photographer Ernest Bloch
.
A multi-talented artist, Lucienne attended the École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts
in Paris at 14, apprenticing with sculptor Antoine Bourdelle
and painter Andre Lhote
. Her close friend Beniamino Bufano also influenced her sculpture. In 1929, she pioneered the design of glass sculpture for the Royal Leerdam Crystal
Glass Factory in the Netherlands. When Frank Lloyd Wright
saw her glass works and spoke with her in New York, he invited her to teach at his architectural school, Taliesin East, where she worked with artist and muralist Santiago Martínez Delgado
and other Taliesin fellows.
But Lucienne had just met and began her apprenticeship with Diego Rivera
on his frescoes in New York and Detroit. She formed a close friendship with Diego's wife Frida Kahlo
, and they became each others' companion and confidant. In 1932 she accompanied Frida to Mexico when her mother became ill. She was also with Frida in Detroit when she had her miscarriage; Lucienne tried to cheer her up, in her usual way, by comparing their ails to the size of the sun, or the solar system.
A prolific photographer, Lucienne contributed many photographs of Rivera and Kahlo to biographical works about them. She took the only existing photographs of Rivera's (controversially) destroyed mural, Man at the Crossroads
, in Rockefeller Center
Plaza in New York City.
Lucienne married one of Rivera's chief plasterers, Stephen Pope Dimitroff. Together they created Fresco murals all over the United States. From 1935 to 1939, she was employed by the WPA
/FAP (Works Progress Administration/Federal Arts Project). She also worked free-lance as a photographer for Life
magazine, recording the desperate conditions of autoworkers during the labor strikes and protests that occurred throughout the U.S. during the formation of the automobile worker unions.
Bloch mastered all types of media; photography, fresco, woodblock cuts, lithographs, mosaics, egg tempera, watercolor, wood and glass sculpture, terra cotta, portraits in ink, gesso, and oil. She also illustrated numerous children's books. Lucienne created nearly 50 murals across the United States for religious institutions, schools, hospitals, and businesses. She worked hand in hand, side by side with her husband of nearly 65 years on all of these projects.
Lucienne Bloch died in 1999 on her small farm Gualala
in Northern California
. She was an inspiration to many artists in her lifetime and her artwork and photography continues to inspire everyday.
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
, Switzerland, and came to America with her family in 1917. She was the youngest child of internationally famous composer and photographer Ernest Bloch
Ernest Bloch
Ernest Bloch was a Swiss-born American composer.-Life:Bloch was born in Geneva and began playing the violin at age 9. He began composing soon afterwards. He studied music at the conservatory in Brussels, where his teachers included the celebrated Belgian violinist Eugène Ysaÿe...
.
École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts
The École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-arts is the distinguished National School of Fine Arts in Paris, France.The École des Beaux-arts is made up of a vast complex of buildings located at 14 rue Bonaparte, between the quai Malaquais and the rue Bonaparte, in the heart of Saint-Germain-des-Près,...
in Paris at 14, apprenticing with sculptor Antoine Bourdelle
Antoine Bourdelle
Antoine Bourdelle , originally Émile Antoine Bourdelle, was an influential and prolific French sculptor, painter, and teacher.-Career:...
and painter Andre Lhote
André Lhote
André Lhote was a French sculptor and painter of figure subjects, portraits, landscapes and still life. He was also very active and influential as a teacher and writer on art....
. Her close friend Beniamino Bufano also influenced her sculpture. In 1929, she pioneered the design of glass sculpture for the Royal Leerdam Crystal
Royal Leerdam Crystal
Royal Leerdam Crystal, also known as Royal Leerdam, is the designing and glass blowing department of Dutch glassware producing factory, Glasfabriek Leerdam. The company was founded in 1765 as a manufacturer of bottles in the Dutch city of Leerdam....
Glass Factory in the Netherlands. When Frank Lloyd Wright
Frank Lloyd Wright
Frank Lloyd Wright was an American architect, interior designer, writer and educator, who designed more than 1,000 structures and completed 500 works. Wright believed in designing structures which were in harmony with humanity and its environment, a philosophy he called organic architecture...
saw her glass works and spoke with her in New York, he invited her to teach at his architectural school, Taliesin East, where she worked with artist and muralist Santiago Martínez Delgado
Santiago Martínez Delgado
Santiago Martínez Delgado was a Colombian painter, sculptor, art historian and writer. He established a reputation as a prominent muralist during the 1940s and is also known for his watercolors, oil paintings, illustrations and woodcarvings....
and other Taliesin fellows.
But Lucienne had just met and began her apprenticeship with Diego Rivera
Diego Rivera
Diego María de la Concepción Juan Nepomuceno Estanislao de la Rivera y Barrientos Acosta y Rodríguez was a prominent Mexican painter born in Guanajuato, Guanajuato, an active communist, and husband of Frida Kahlo . His large wall works in fresco helped establish the Mexican Mural Movement in...
on his frescoes in New York and Detroit. She formed a close friendship with Diego's wife Frida Kahlo
Frida Kahlo
Frida Kahlo de Rivera was a Mexican painter, born in Coyoacán, and perhaps best known for her self-portraits....
, and they became each others' companion and confidant. In 1932 she accompanied Frida to Mexico when her mother became ill. She was also with Frida in Detroit when she had her miscarriage; Lucienne tried to cheer her up, in her usual way, by comparing their ails to the size of the sun, or the solar system.
A prolific photographer, Lucienne contributed many photographs of Rivera and Kahlo to biographical works about them. She took the only existing photographs of Rivera's (controversially) destroyed mural, Man at the Crossroads
Man at the Crossroads
Man at the Crossroads was a mural by Diego Rivera.The Rockefellers wanted to have a mural put on the ground-floor wall of Rockefeller Center. Nelson Rockefeller wanted Henri Matisse or Pablo Picasso to do it because he favored their modern style, but neither was available...
, in Rockefeller Center
Rockefeller Center
Rockefeller Center is a complex of 19 commercial buildings covering between 48th and 51st streets in New York City, United States. Built by the Rockefeller family, it is located in the center of Midtown Manhattan, spanning the area between Fifth Avenue and Sixth Avenue. It was declared a National...
Plaza in New York City.
Lucienne married one of Rivera's chief plasterers, Stephen Pope Dimitroff. Together they created Fresco murals all over the United States. From 1935 to 1939, she was employed by the WPA
Works Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads, and operated large arts, drama, media, and literacy projects...
/FAP (Works Progress Administration/Federal Arts Project). She also worked free-lance as a photographer for Life
Life (magazine)
Life generally refers to three American magazines:*A humor and general interest magazine published from 1883 to 1936. Time founder Henry Luce bought the magazine in 1936 solely so that he could acquire the rights to its name....
magazine, recording the desperate conditions of autoworkers during the labor strikes and protests that occurred throughout the U.S. during the formation of the automobile worker unions.
Bloch mastered all types of media; photography, fresco, woodblock cuts, lithographs, mosaics, egg tempera, watercolor, wood and glass sculpture, terra cotta, portraits in ink, gesso, and oil. She also illustrated numerous children's books. Lucienne created nearly 50 murals across the United States for religious institutions, schools, hospitals, and businesses. She worked hand in hand, side by side with her husband of nearly 65 years on all of these projects.
Lucienne Bloch died in 1999 on her small farm Gualala
Gualala, California
Gualala is an unincorporated community in Mendocino County in the U.S. state of California. It is located southwest of Hopland, at an elevation of 49 feet . It is located on the Pacific coast at the mouth of the Gualala River, on State Route 1. It serves as a commercial center for the...
in Northern California
Northern California
Northern California is the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. The San Francisco Bay Area , and Sacramento as well as its metropolitan area are the main population centers...
. She was an inspiration to many artists in her lifetime and her artwork and photography continues to inspire everyday.
External links
- The Artwork of Lucienne Bloch
- Columbus Museum of Art Web page on Bloch's 1935 woodcut Land of Plenty (click on picture for larger image)