Beaudin, André

French artist André Beaudin's considerable oeuvre includes painting, sculpture, and printmaking. Beaudin studied at the École des Arts Décoratifs in Paris before he had to serve as a soldier in the First World War. Upon his return, he devoted himself entirely to painting, meeting renowned artists such as Juan Gris and drawing inspiration from Henri Matisse. His then cubist works were discovered by the art critic Tériade. His new collector made him one of the most influential artists of the Paris School.
 

Beaudin's cubist-like works, dating from the 1920s, would soon evolve into softer, organically curved forms and energetic compositions with motifs from his environment. He transferred these everyday impressions to the formal language of his ceramics, wall decorations and sculptures, as well as to his works in the field of printmaking. He created lithographs that, even in their restrained black and white coloration, glow with power in the dynamic composition of the flowing figures and tell us exciting stories from Beaudin's surroundings. His cubist aquatint etchings, on the other hand, captivate us with their sophisticated coloring.
 

André Beaudin participated in documenta I in 1955 and in documenta II in Kassel in 1959. His work is still widely recognized internationally. Large parts of his work can be seen today in the permanent collection of the art museums in Lille and Nantes.