René Quillivic
Encyclopedia
René Quillivic was a French sculptor whose art expressed Breton
cultural identity.
in Paris, where he joined the workshop of Antonin Mercier. He exhibited at the Salon des Indépendants and the Salon des Artistes Français. In 1907, he won the Gold Medal at the Salon des Beaux-Arts for Le groupe des sonneurs bretons (Group of Breton Pipers). The following year, another of his works, La Brodeuse de Pont-l'Abbé (Pont-l'Abbé Emboiderer), gave him access to funds for travels to North Africa and Italy.
He pursued his career creating public memorial sculptures in his home départment
of Finistère
, Brittany. His work was part of the Breton cultural renaissance associated with the art movement Seiz Breur
.
He died in Paris on April 8, 1969. His son, of the same name, became a well-known artist and printmaker.
After World War I
he had the opportunity to pursue his art in the form of war memorials, in which he typically emphasised pacifist ideals. Most of these were located in Finistère (Carhaix, Coray
, Fouesnant
, Loudéac
, Plouhinec, Plouyé
, Plozévet
, Pont-Croix
, Pont-l'Abbé
, and Saint-Pol-de-Leon
). The best known of his war memorials, and one of the four Quillivic pieces in his birthplace of Plouhinec, is a statue of a woman wearing a mourning cape, hands folded in prayer. Carved in granite, she accompanies a stele
listing the victims of the war; his mother was the model for the statue. A bronze bust of Quillivic's mother in a traditional headdress is also exhibited nearby in his family home. Also in his home town are a sculpture of Saint Jacques, and an uncompleted Calvary
, or carved cross.
His inspiration arose mainly from Breton culture. This use of local models familiar to the people became a hallmark of his work. Thus, in Bannalec
, the local people could recognize in the monument the likeness of the sister of the locally famous aviator Jean Bourhis, who had been killed in the war. Qullivic also included the image of Bourhis's airplane on the principal relief. According to Sylvie Blottière-Derrien "Rene Quillivic was known to be the promoter of a typically Breton commemorative sculpture". His La Bigoudène at Pors-Poulhan marks the border between the areas of Pays Bigouden
and Cap Sizun
. His sculpted pillar dedicated to deceased Breton sailors stands at Pointe Saint-Mathieu
.
Several of his works are preserved in Quimper art gallery, including his sculpture L'appel de la mer (The Appeal to the Sea), which was initially intended for the Breton pavilion at the 1939 Exposition des arts décoratifs in Paris. The semi naked female figure was considered too provocative and was replaced by a Madonna and Child by Jules-Charles Le Bozec
. The gallery also holds other statues depicting the artist's mother, portrait heads of children and La Brodeuse de Pont-l'Abbé, the large bronze of a young Breton embrioderer.
Quillivic’s media vary. His sculptures are usually Breton granite, Kersantite, or bronze. He also made wood-engravings, and is known for his seascapes
.
Breton people
The Bretons are an ethnic group located in the region of Brittany in France. They trace much of their heritage to groups of Brythonic speakers who emigrated from southwestern Great Britain in waves from the 3rd to 6th century into the Armorican peninsula, subsequently named Brittany after them.The...
cultural identity.
Life
René Quillivic was born on the 13th May 1879 in the town of Plouhinec, Finistère, in a small house bordering one side of what is currently known as the "Place Jean Cosquer". He came from a family of fishermen, but was apprenticed to a carpenter. He decided to pursue an artistic career as a sculptor and was accepted by the École nationale supérieure des Beaux-ArtsÉcole 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, where he joined the workshop of Antonin Mercier. He exhibited at the Salon des Indépendants and the Salon des Artistes Français. In 1907, he won the Gold Medal at the Salon des Beaux-Arts for Le groupe des sonneurs bretons (Group of Breton Pipers). The following year, another of his works, La Brodeuse de Pont-l'Abbé (Pont-l'Abbé Emboiderer), gave him access to funds for travels to North Africa and Italy.
He pursued his career creating public memorial sculptures in his home départment
Department
A department is a part of a larger organization with a specific responsibility. For the division of organizations into departments, see departmentalization.In particular:...
of Finistère
Finistère
Finistère is a département of France, in the extreme west of Brittany.-History:The name Finistère derives from the Latin Finis Terræ, meaning end of the earth, and may be compared with Land's End on the opposite side of the English Channel...
, Brittany. His work was part of the Breton cultural renaissance associated with the art movement Seiz Breur
Seiz Breur
Seiz Breur was an artistic movement founded in 1923 in Brittany. Although it adopted the symbolic name seiz breur, meaning seven brothers in the Breton language, this did not refer to the number of members, but to the title of a folk-story...
.
He died in Paris on April 8, 1969. His son, of the same name, became a well-known artist and printmaker.
Works
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
he had the opportunity to pursue his art in the form of war memorials, in which he typically emphasised pacifist ideals. Most of these were located in Finistère (Carhaix, Coray
Coray
Coray is a commune in the Finistère department of Brittany in north-western France.It lies on the Odet river.-Population:Inhabitants of Coray are called in French Corayens.-References:** ;-External links:* *...
, Fouesnant
Fouesnant
Fouesnant is a commune in the Finistère department of Brittany in north-western France.It lies on the south coast of Finistère and is bordered by the communes of: Bénodet and Pleuven to the west, Saint-Évarzec to the north, and La Forêt-Fouesnant to the east...
, Loudéac
Loudéac
Loudéac is a commune in the Côtes-d'Armor department in Brittany in northwestern France.-A market town:Loudéac is a very pretty market town with many traditional buildings and mediaeval streets to enjoy. The weekly market, which sells the best and freshest of local produce, goes on as it has for...
, Plouhinec, Plouyé
Plouyé
Plouyé is a commune in the Finistère department of Brittany in north-western France.-Population:Inhabitants of Plouyé are called in French Plouyéziens.-References:** -External links:*...
, Plozévet
Plozévet
Plozévet is a commune in the Finistère department in Bretagne in northwestern France.-Breton language:The municipality launched a linguistic plan through Ya d'ar brezhoneg on November 23, 2007....
, Pont-Croix
Pont-Croix
Pont-Croix is a commune in the Finistère department of Brittany in north-western France.The town lies about from Audierne on the road to Douarnenez and is connected to Plouhinec by a small, scenic road that passes through the Goyen valley....
, Pont-l'Abbé
Pont-l'Abbé
Pont-l'Abbé is a commune in the Finistère department of Brittany in north-western France.The self-styled capital of Pays Bigouden , Pont-l'Abbé was founded in the 14th century by a monk of Loctudy who built the first bridge across the river estuary, hence the name...
, and Saint-Pol-de-Leon
Saint-Pol-de-Léon
Saint-Pol-de-Léon is a commune in the Finistère department in Bretange in northwestern France, located on the coast.It is famous for its 13th-century cathedral on the site of the original founded by Saint Paul Aurelian in the 6th century. It has kept a unique architecture, such as Notre-Dame du...
). The best known of his war memorials, and one of the four Quillivic pieces in his birthplace of Plouhinec, is a statue of a woman wearing a mourning cape, hands folded in prayer. Carved in granite, she accompanies a stele
Stele
A stele , also stela , is a stone or wooden slab, generally taller than it is wide, erected for funerals or commemorative purposes, most usually decorated with the names and titles of the deceased or living — inscribed, carved in relief , or painted onto the slab...
listing the victims of the war; his mother was the model for the statue. A bronze bust of Quillivic's mother in a traditional headdress is also exhibited nearby in his family home. Also in his home town are a sculpture of Saint Jacques, and an uncompleted Calvary
Calvary (sculpture)
A calvary is a type of monumental public crucifix, sometimes encased in an open shrine, most commonly found across northern France from Brittany east and through Belgium and equally familiar as wayside structures provided with minimal sheltering roofs in Italy and Spain...
, or carved cross.
His inspiration arose mainly from Breton culture. This use of local models familiar to the people became a hallmark of his work. Thus, in Bannalec
Bannalec
Bannalec is a commune in the Finistère department in the Brittany region in northwestern France.-Population:Inhabitants of Bannalec are called Bannalécois.-References:** ;* -External links:* * *...
, the local people could recognize in the monument the likeness of the sister of the locally famous aviator Jean Bourhis, who had been killed in the war. Qullivic also included the image of Bourhis's airplane on the principal relief. According to Sylvie Blottière-Derrien "Rene Quillivic was known to be the promoter of a typically Breton commemorative sculpture". His La Bigoudène at Pors-Poulhan marks the border between the areas of Pays Bigouden
Pays Bigouden
Bigouden is an area of Finistère in Brittany, south-west of Quimper...
and Cap Sizun
Cap Sizun
The Cap Sizun is a headland forming the western extremity of the Cornouaille, in the French département of Finistère in Brittany, corresponding to the canton of Pont-Croix....
. His sculpted pillar dedicated to deceased Breton sailors stands at Pointe Saint-Mathieu
Pointe Saint-Mathieu
The pointe Saint-Mathieu is a headland located near Le Conquet in the territory of the commune of Plougonvelin in France, flanked by 20m high cliffs.-Village:...
.
Several of his works are preserved in Quimper art gallery, including his sculpture L'appel de la mer (The Appeal to the Sea), which was initially intended for the Breton pavilion at the 1939 Exposition des arts décoratifs in Paris. The semi naked female figure was considered too provocative and was replaced by a Madonna and Child by Jules-Charles Le Bozec
Jules-Charles Le Bozec
Jules-Charles Le Bozec was a French sculptor, whose work reflects a commitment to the local design traditions of his native province of Brittany.-Biography:...
. The gallery also holds other statues depicting the artist's mother, portrait heads of children and La Brodeuse de Pont-l'Abbé, the large bronze of a young Breton embrioderer.
Quillivic’s media vary. His sculptures are usually Breton granite, Kersantite, or bronze. He also made wood-engravings, and is known for his seascapes
Seascapes
Seascapes is a weekly 30-minute Irish radio programme covering maritime matters broadcast on RTÉ Radio 1 on Fridays at 22.30 and presented until recently by the award-winning presenter Tom MacSweeney...
.