Xavier de Langlais
Encyclopedia
Xavier de Langlais was a Breton painter, printmaker and writer. He usually signed his work with the name Langleiz, a Breton language
version of his surname.
(1922) and Paris (1926–1928). During his stay in Paris he took advantage of his free time to learn the Breton language
. He tried to find a way to create a new art connected with his love of Brittany, and began to work as a painter, church decorator and researcher into artistic techniques.
In 1931 he married Annick Gazet du Chatelier, with whom he had four children. In 1948, he became a professor of design at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts de Rennes
, where he continued to work for the remainder of his career. He also worked as an illustrator, mainly using the traditional woodblock printing
technique.
He wrote a book on techniques of oil painting, which is still authoritative and has been translated into several languages.
, he edited and illustrated its literature. In 1924, he made contact with Ar Seiz Breur
, a group of nationalistic Breton artists formed by Jeanne Malivel
and René-Yves Creston
.
With James Bouillé
, an architect and member of Ar Seiz Breur, he established the art workshop "An Droellenn" (The Spiral) in 1935. This was dedicated to the revival of Breton Christian art. He created several religious murals: in the chapel of St. Joseph's College in Lannion
, the Grand Seminary in Saint-Brieuc
, the Notre-Dame-de-la-Mer Étel Church in La Richardais
, and the stations of the cross
, La Baule.
He was a prolific writer in the Breton language and was an ardent promoter of orthographic reform would create characters for the specific dialect of Vannes Breton that he practiced. He held discussions in Vannes in 1936, but the project only reached fruition 1941. In that year he moved to Rennes
, where he worked as an artistic and literary critic, writing a regular column in La Bretagne, a pro-Marshal Philippe Pétain
collaborationist newspaper edited by Yann Fouéré
.
He had met Roparz Hemon
in Paris in 1926 and was invited by him to join the editorial board of the Breton literary magazine Gwalarn
. He published plays, poems and novels and focused especially on the Arthurian cycle. He also participated in the revival of the publishing and distribution of books in Breton in 1949, and participated in the summer school
Bretonnante Kamp Etrekeltiek ar Vrezhonegerien, founded in 1948, and which still exists.
He helped in the dissemination of books in Breton, and later became chairman of the Celtic Circle in Rennes. He continued to espouse Breton nationalism throughout his life.
Breton language
Breton is a Celtic language spoken in Brittany , France. Breton is a Brythonic language, descended from the Celtic British language brought from Great Britain to Armorica by migrating Britons during the Early Middle Ages. Like the other Brythonic languages, Welsh and Cornish, it is classified as...
version of his surname.
Early career
Langlais studied art in NantesNantes
Nantes is a city in western France, located on the Loire River, from the Atlantic coast. The city is the 6th largest in France, while its metropolitan area ranks 8th with over 800,000 inhabitants....
(1922) and Paris (1926–1928). During his stay in Paris he took advantage of his free time to learn the Breton language
Breton language
Breton is a Celtic language spoken in Brittany , France. Breton is a Brythonic language, descended from the Celtic British language brought from Great Britain to Armorica by migrating Britons during the Early Middle Ages. Like the other Brythonic languages, Welsh and Cornish, it is classified as...
. He tried to find a way to create a new art connected with his love of Brittany, and began to work as a painter, church decorator and researcher into artistic techniques.
In 1931 he married Annick Gazet du Chatelier, with whom he had four children. In 1948, he became a professor of design at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts de Rennes
Rennes
Rennes is a city in the east of Brittany in northwestern France. Rennes is the capital of the region of Brittany, as well as the Ille-et-Vilaine department.-History:...
, where he continued to work for the remainder of his career. He also worked as an illustrator, mainly using the traditional woodblock printing
Woodblock printing
Woodblock printing is a technique for printing text, images or patterns used widely throughout East Asia and originating in China in antiquity as a method of printing on textiles and later paper....
technique.
He wrote a book on techniques of oil painting, which is still authoritative and has been translated into several languages.
Breton artist and activist
A supporter of the Breton National PartyBreton National Party
The Breton National Party was a nationalist party in Brittany that existed from 1931 to 1944. The party was disbanded after the liberation of France in World War II, because of ties to the Nazi party....
, he edited and illustrated its literature. In 1924, he made contact with Ar 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...
, a group of nationalistic Breton artists formed by Jeanne Malivel
Jeanne Malivel
Jeanne Malivel was a Breton designer and illustrator who inspired the Breton nationalist art movement Seiz Breur.Originally from Loudéac, she revived the art of woodblock printing in her illustrations for the Breton nationalist book The History of our Brittany by Jeanne Coroller-Danio in 1922...
and René-Yves Creston
René-Yves Creston
René-Yves Creston , born René Pierre Joseph Creston, was a Breton artist, designer and ethnographer who founded the Breton nationalist art movement Seiz Breur...
.
With James Bouillé
James Bouillé
James Bouillé was a French architect based in Brittany.-Biography:Bouillé was born in Guingamp He studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, until he was mobilized after the outbreak of the First World War in 1914...
, an architect and member of Ar Seiz Breur, he established the art workshop "An Droellenn" (The Spiral) in 1935. This was dedicated to the revival of Breton Christian art. He created several religious murals: in the chapel of St. Joseph's College in Lannion
Lannion
Lannion is a commune in the Côtes-d'Armor department in Brittany in northwestern France. It is a subpréfecture of Côtes-d'Armor, the capital of Trégor and the center of an urban area of almost 60,000 inhabitants.-Population:...
, the Grand Seminary in Saint-Brieuc
Saint-Brieuc
Saint-Brieuc is a commune in the Côtes-d'Armor department in Brittany in northwestern France.-History:Saint-Brieuc is named after a Welsh monk Brioc, who evangelized the region in the 6th century and established an oratory there...
, the Notre-Dame-de-la-Mer Étel Church in La Richardais
La Richardais
La Richardais is a commune in the Ille-et-Vilaine department in Bretagne in north-western France.-Demographics:Inhabitants of La Richardais are called Richardaisiens.-References:* ;* -External links:* *...
, and the stations of the cross
Stations of the Cross
Stations of the Cross refers to the depiction of the final hours of Jesus, and the devotion commemorating the Passion. The tradition as chapel devotion began with St...
, La Baule.
He was a prolific writer in the Breton language and was an ardent promoter of orthographic reform would create characters for the specific dialect of Vannes Breton that he practiced. He held discussions in Vannes in 1936, but the project only reached fruition 1941. In that year he moved to Rennes
Rennes
Rennes is a city in the east of Brittany in northwestern France. Rennes is the capital of the region of Brittany, as well as the Ille-et-Vilaine department.-History:...
, where he worked as an artistic and literary critic, writing a regular column in La Bretagne, a pro-Marshal Philippe Pétain
Philippe Pétain
Henri Philippe Benoni Omer Joseph Pétain , generally known as Philippe Pétain or Marshal Pétain , was a French general who reached the distinction of Marshal of France, and was later Chief of State of Vichy France , from 1940 to 1944...
collaborationist newspaper edited by Yann Fouéré
Yann Fouéré
Yann Fouéré was a Breton nationalist and an European federalist. He was born as Jean-Adolphe Fouéré in Aignan, Gers....
.
He had met Roparz Hemon
Roparz Hemon
Roparz Hemon , officially named Louis-Paul Némo, was a Breton author and scholar of Breton expression.He was the author of numerous dictionaries, grammars, poems and short stories...
in Paris in 1926 and was invited by him to join the editorial board of the Breton literary magazine Gwalarn
Gwalarn
Gwalarn was a Breton language literary journal. By extension, the term refers to the style of literature that it encouraged. 166 issues appeared between 1925 and May 1944....
. He published plays, poems and novels and focused especially on the Arthurian cycle. He also participated in the revival of the publishing and distribution of books in Breton in 1949, and participated in the summer school
Summer school
Summer school is a school, or a program generally sponsored by a school or a school district, that teaches students during the summer vacation....
Bretonnante Kamp Etrekeltiek ar Vrezhonegerien, founded in 1948, and which still exists.
He helped in the dissemination of books in Breton, and later became chairman of the Celtic Circle in Rennes. He continued to espouse Breton nationalism throughout his life.
Writings
- An diou zremm (the two faces), drama, 1932
- Kanou en noz, poems, 1932
- Koroll ar vuhez hag ar maro (Dance of Life and Death), poem, 1938
- Ene al Linennou
- Enez ar Rod (Island of the Wheel), a science fiction novel, written 1940–1942, 1949, 2000
- Mouladuriou hor yezh (Island Under Glass, 1962 Pan, 2002, Coop Breizh)
- Tristan et Yseult Brest, Al Liamm , 1958
- Technique de la peinture à l'huile, Flammarion, 1959 détail de l'édition
- Le Roman du Roi Arthur, novels, 5 vol., Coop Breizh, Spézet , 1965–1971
- Merlin, ISBN 2903708142 (also published in Breton)
- Lancelot, ISBN 2909924211
- Perceval, ISBN 2909924106
- La Quête du Graal, ISBN 2903708134
- La Fin des temps aventureux, ISBN 290992422X