Mario Prassinos (30 July 1916 – 23 October 1985) was a French modernist painter,
printmaker, illustrator,
stage designer
Scenic design (also known as scenography, stage design, or set design) is the creation of theatrical, as well as film or television scenery. Scenic designers come from a variety of artistic backgrounds, but in recent years, are mostly trai ...
, and writer of
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Greece
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group.
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family.
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
-Italian descent.
Life and work
Prassinos was born in
Constantinople
la, Constantinopolis ota, قسطنطينيه
, alternate_name = Byzantion (earlier Greek name), Nova Roma ("New Rome"), Miklagard/Miklagarth (Old Norse), Tsargrad ( Slavic), Qustantiniya ( Arabic), Basileuousa ("Queen of Cities"), Megalopolis ( ...
,
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
(now
Turkey
Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with a small portion on the Balkan Peninsula in ...
) in 1916, the son of Victorine and Lysandre Prassinos. In 1922, at the age of six, he immigrated to France with his family, who had escaped the brutal
persecution of Greeks and other ethnic minorities by the
Ottoman government. Prassinos became a naturalized French citizen in 1949.
["Modern European Paintings in New Zealand," Exh. cat. Auckland City Art Gallery, Auckland, New Zealand, 1960, 19.]
He attended the
Sorbonne
Sorbonne may refer to:
* Sorbonne (building), historic building in Paris, which housed the University of Paris and is now shared among multiple universities.
*the University of Paris (c. 1150 – 1970)
*one of its components or linked institution, ...
in Paris beginning in 1932 and briefly trained in the studio of the French painter Clement Serveau (1886–1972).
Through his father's literary interests Prassinos became acquainted with
Surrealism, meeting
Paul Eluard
Paul may refer to:
*Paul (given name), a given name (includes a list of people with that name)
* Paul (surname), a list of people
People
Christianity
*Paul the Apostle (AD c.5–c.64/65), also known as Saul of Tarsus or Saint Paul, early Chri ...
,
André Breton,
Salvador Dalí
Salvador Domingo Felipe Jacinto Dalí i Domènech, Marquess of Dalí of Púbol (; ; ; 11 May 190423 January 1989) was a Spanish surrealist artist renowned for his technical skill, precise draftsmanship, and the striking and bizarre images in ...
,
Man Ray
Man Ray (born Emmanuel Radnitzky; August 27, 1890 – November 18, 1976) was an American visual artist who spent most of his career in Paris. He was a significant contributor to the Dada and Surrealist movements, although his ties to eac ...
.
Max Ernst
Max Ernst (2 April 1891 – 1 April 1976) was a German (naturalised American in 1948 and French in 1958) painter, sculptor, printmaker, graphic artist, and poet. A prolific artist, Ernst was a primary pioneer of the Dada movement and Surrealis ...
,
Marcel Duchamp
Henri-Robert-Marcel Duchamp (, , ; 28 July 1887 – 2 October 1968) was a French painter, sculptor, chess player, and writer whose work is associated with Cubism, Dada, and conceptual art. Duchamp is commonly regarded, along with Pablo Picasso ...
and others in 1934, and decided to become an artist. From 1932 to 1936 he worked in a
Surrealist
Surrealism is a cultural movement that developed in Europe in the aftermath of World War I in which artists depicted unnerving, illogical scenes and developed techniques to allow the unconscious mind to express itself. Its aim was, according to ...
style, introducing procedures of
automatism and formal ambiguities that he retained in his later work.
His first exhibition took place in 1938 at the Galerie Billiet-Pierre Vorms in Paris. That same year he married Yolande Borelly (1915-2015). His daughter Catherine Prassinos was born in 1946.
Prassinos volunteered for military service in 1940, was seriously wounded and later received the
Croix de Guerre (Cross of War). He also worked with the
French Resistance
The French Resistance (french: La Résistance) was a collection of organisations that fought the German occupation of France during World War II, Nazi occupation of France and the Collaborationism, collaborationist Vichy France, Vichy régim ...
during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
, helping
Allied soldiers escape
Nazi-occupied France.
During the period 1942 to 1950 he met
Raymond Queneau
Raymond Queneau (; 21 February 1903 – 25 October 1976) was a French novelist, poet, critic, editor and co-founder and president of Oulipo ('' Ouvroir de littérature potentielle''), notable for his wit and cynical humour.
Biography
Queneau w ...
and
Albert Camus
Albert Camus ( , ; ; 7 November 1913 – 4 January 1960) was a French philosopher, author, dramatist, and journalist. He was awarded the 1957 Nobel Prize in Literature at the age of 44, the second-youngest recipient in history. His work ...
and produced work for
Editions Gallimard.
Prassinos' work is found in major art museums in Europe and North America, including the
Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam;
Musée National d'Art Moderne
The Musée National d'Art Moderne (; "National Museum of Modern Art") is the national museum for modern art of France. It is located in Paris and is housed in the Centre Pompidou in the 4th arrondissement of the city. In 2021 it ranked 10th in t ...
, Paris;
Kunsthalle Bremen
The Kunsthalle Bremen is an art museum in Bremen, Germany. It is located close to the Bremen Old Town on the "Culture Mile" (german: Kulturmeile). The Kunsthalle was built in 1849, enlarged in 1902 by architect Eduard Gildemeister, and expanded ...
, Germany;
Victoria and Albert Museum
The Victoria and Albert Museum (often abbreviated as the V&A) in London is the world's largest museum of applied arts, decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 2.27 million objects. It was founded in 1852 and nam ...
, London;
Museum of Modern Art
The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is an art museum located in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, on 53rd Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues.
It plays a major role in developing and collecting modern art, and is often identified as one of ...
, New York;
Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Metropolitan Museum of Art of New York City, colloquially "the Met", is the largest art museum in the Americas. Its permanent collection contains over two million works, divided among 17 curatorial departments. The main building at 1000 ...
, New York;
Art Institute of Chicago, and others.
Prassinos died at his home in
Eygalières, France, on 23 October 1985. After his death, a donation of 800 of the artist's works was made to the French state. The "Donation Mario Prassinos" collection is housed in the Chapel of Notre-Dame de Pitié (also called Notre-Dame des Sept Douleurs) in
Saint Remy de Provence, France.
His sister
Gisèle Prassinos (1920-2015) is a noted
surrealist
Surrealism is a cultural movement that developed in Europe in the aftermath of World War I in which artists depicted unnerving, illogical scenes and developed techniques to allow the unconscious mind to express itself. Its aim was, according to ...
writer.
Solo exhibitions
* 1938 Galerie Billiet-Pierre Vorms, Paris
* 1944 Galerie de la Pleiade N.R.F., Paris
* 1948 Galerie Billiet-Caputo, Paris
* 1950 Perspectives Gallery, New York
* 1952 Galerie Apollo, Brussels
* 1953 Galerie de France, Paris (and 1955, 1957, 1960, 1964, 1966, 1972, 1976)
* 1956 Galerie la Demeure, Paris (and 1961, 1963, 1964, 1966, 1968, 1971, 1974)
* 1958 Galleria Blu, Milan
* 1960 Auckland City Art Gallery, Auckland, New Zealand
* 1961 Haaken Gallery, Oslo; Chateau Grimaldi, Antibes, France
* 1962 Galerie Spinazzola, Aix-en-Provence, France
* 1963 Arnhem Museum of Modern Art, Arnheim, Netherlands; Haarlem Museum, Haarlem, Netherlands
* 1963 La Chaux-de-Fonds Museum, La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland
* 1964 Colette Ryter Gallery, Zurich (and 1967, 1971, 1973)
* 1965 New Museum of Fine Arts, Le Havre, France
* 1966 Merlin Gallery, Athens
* 1968 Cantini Museum, Marseilles, France
* 1970 Chicago Arts Club, Chicago
* 1970
Musée Réattu
Musée Réattu (Reattu Museum) is an art museum in Arles, housing paintings, including works by Arles-born painter Jacques Réattu, drawings by Picasso, as well as sculptures and a large collection of photographs.Michelin TravelMusée Réattu I ...
, Arles, France
* 1971 Galerie Noella Gest, Saint-Remy-de-Provence, France
* 1972 Ateneo, Madrid
* 1973 Athens Art Gallery, Athens (and 1978)
* 1974 Le Couvent Royal de Saint Maximin, Fondation Royaumont, Abbaye de Senanque, Abbaye de Montmajour, Arles, France
* 1979 French Institute, Athens
* 1980 Galeries Nationales du Grand Palais, Paris
* 1983 Presence Contemporaine, Aix-en-Provence, France
* 1984 Le Musee Departemental de la Tapisserie, Aubusson, France; French Institute, Athens; Grand Magister Palace, Rhodes, Greece; Museum of Contemporary Art, Thessaloniki, Greece; Medusa Art Gallery, Athens (and 2007)
* 1986 Inauguration of the donation of Mario Prassinos to the French State, and then annual exhibitions, Saint-Remy-de-Provence, France
* 1987 OMAC, La Malmaison, Cannes, France
* 1988 Musee des Beaux-Arts d'Ixelles, Brussels; Musee Jean-Lurcat et de la tapisserie contemporaine, Angers, France
* 1989 Galerie Inard, Paris
* 1991 Pavillon des Arts, Paris
* 1991 Titanium Gallery, Athens
* 1995 Galerie Thessa Herold, Paris (and 1997)
* 1996 Espace 13, Aix-en-Provence, France
* 1998 Musee Toulouse-Lautrec, Albi, France
* 1998 Musee de l'Hospice Saint-Roch, Issoudun, France
* 1999
Musée Réattu
Musée Réattu (Reattu Museum) is an art museum in Arles, housing paintings, including works by Arles-born painter Jacques Réattu, drawings by Picasso, as well as sculptures and a large collection of photographs.Michelin TravelMusée Réattu I ...
, Arles, France
* 2000 Galerie Etats d'Art, Paris (and 2005)
* 2001 Kydonieos Foundation, Andros, Greece
* 2005 Galerie Andre Dimanche, Marseilles, France
* 2006 Galerie La Hune-Brenner, Paris
* 2009 Chapelle des penitents noirs, Aubagne, France
* 2011 Medusa Art Gallery, Athens
Notes
References
* ''Prassinos, Arbres et bouquets'', préface de Myriam Prévot, Galerie de France, Paris, 1960.
* Jean-Louis Ferrier, ''Prassinos'', Le Musée de Poche, Paris, Éditions Georges Fall, 1962.
* ''Mario Prassinos, peintures et dessins récents'', textes de Mario Prassinos,
Raymond Queneau
Raymond Queneau (; 21 February 1903 – 25 October 1976) was a French novelist, poet, critic, editor and co-founder and president of Oulipo ('' Ouvroir de littérature potentielle''), notable for his wit and cynical humour.
Biography
Queneau w ...
,
François Nourissier
François Nourissier (Paris, 18 May 1927–Paris, 15 February 2011) was a French journalist and writer.
Nourissier was the secretary-general of Éditions Denoël (1952–1955), editor of the review ''La Parisienne'' (1955–1958), and an adviser ...
,
René Char,
Albert Camus
Albert Camus ( , ; ; 7 November 1913 – 4 January 1960) was a French philosopher, author, dramatist, and journalist. He was awarded the 1957 Nobel Prize in Literature at the age of 44, the second-youngest recipient in history. His work ...
,
Marc Alyn
Marc Alyn (Alain-Marc Fécherolle), (born 18 March 1937 in Reims) is a French poet.
Life
He was mobilized to Algeria in 1957.
He lived far from Paris, a farmhouse in Uzès, Gard.
He traveled in the Middle East to the ruins of the Phoenician cit ...
, Jean-Louis Ferrier,
Pierre Seghers, Jean Boissieu, Jean-Jacques Lévêque, Jean Lescure, Pierre Cabanne,
Gisèle Prassinos et
Pierre Emmanuel
Noël Mathieu (3 May 1916, Gan, Pyrénées-Atlantiques – 22 September 1984, Paris) better known under his pseudonym Pierre Emmanuel, was a French poet of Christian inspiration.
Biography
He was the third member elected to occupy seat 4 of the ...
, Paris, Galerie Nationale du Grand Palais, 1980.
* ''Prassinos'', textes de Jean-Louis Ferrier,
Gisèle Prassinos et Mario Prassinos, entretien avec Mario Prassinos, Aix-en-Provence, Présence contemporaine, 1983, 144 p. ().
* ''Mario Prassinos'', Levallois-Perret, Les amis de Valentin Brû
aymond Queneau n° 28–29, 1984
aymond Queneau et Mario Prassinos
* Hélène Parmelin, ''Les Peintres de Jean Vilar :
Calder, Chastel, Gischia, Jacno, Lagrange,
Manessier, Pignon, Prassinos et
Singier'', Fondation
Jean Vilar
Jean Vilar (25 March 1912– 28 May 1971) was a French actor and theatre director.
Vilar trained under actor and theatre director Charles Dullin, then toured with an acting company throughout France. His directorial career began in 1943 in a sma ...
, Avignon, 1984.
* ''La donation Mario Prassinos (catalogue raisonné)'', Catherine Prassinos et Thierry Rye, préface de Pierre Cabanne, Saint-Rémy de Provence, FMP Donation Mario Prassinos, 1990, 158 p. ().
* Lydia Harambourg, ''Mario Prassinos'', dans ''L'École de Paris 1945–1965, Dictionnaire des peintres'', Neuchâtel, Ides et Calendes, 1993, ().
* ''Correspondance d'Henri Parisot avec Mario et Gisèle Prassinos, 1933–1938'', Prassinos Catherine, Rye Thierry (éd.), Joelle Losfeld, 2003, 212 p. ().
* ''Monographie Mario Prassinos'', peinture et dessin, préface de François Nourissier, Catherine Prassinos (expert de l'Union Française des Experts, UFE) et Thierry Rye (éd.), Actes Sud, 2005, 342 p. ().
External links
Mario Prassinos official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Prassinos, Mario
1916 births
1985 deaths
Greek emigrants to France
Modern artists
French surrealist artists
Greek surrealist artists
French abstract artists
Greek scenic designers
French scenic designers
20th-century French painters
20th-century French male artists
French male painters
French illustrators
French people of Greek descent
20th-century French sculptors
French male sculptors
20th-century French printmakers
Constantinopolitan Greeks
Artists from Istanbul