Louis Octave Maxime Le Verrier, known more commonly as Max Le Verrier, also known by the

pseudonym A pseudonym (; ) or alias () is a fictitious name that a person or group assumes for a particular purpose, which differs from their original or true name (orthonym). This also differs from a new name that entirely or legally replaces an individua ...

Artus (1891–1973) was a French sculptor. He was known for being a pioneer within the Parisian

Art Deco Art Deco, short for the French ''Arts Décoratifs'', and sometimes just called Deco, is a style of visual arts, architecture, and product design, that first appeared in France in the 1910s (just before World War I), and flourished in the Unite ...

movement, creating decorative art objects often made in

bronze Bronze is an alloy consisting primarily of copper, commonly with about 12–12.5% tin and often with the addition of other metals (including aluminium, manganese, nickel, or zinc) and sometimes non-metals, such as phosphorus, or metalloids such ...

as well as historical sculptures.

Biography

Max Le Verrier was born on 29 January 1891 in

Neuilly-sur-Seine Neuilly-sur-Seine (; literally 'Neuilly on Seine'), also known simply as Neuilly, is a commune in the department of Hauts-de-Seine in France, just west of Paris. Immediately adjacent to the city, the area is composed of mostly select residentia ...

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

to a French father that was a goldsmith and jeweler, and a mother from Belgium. His parents separated when he was a child and he spent a lot of time in boarding schools. He served as a pilot in the French Army during

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

Caja de bronce con relieve de Max Le Verrier

Le Verrier attended Geneva University of Art and Design (formerly École Supérieure des Beaux-Arts, Genève), studying under

Marcel Bouraine Marcel Bouraine (1886–1948) was a French sculptor. He is known for his work in the Art Deco-era, specifically small statuettes, lamps, bookends, and radiator figures. Biography Marcel Bouraine was born in 1886 in Pontoise, Île-de-France, ...

and

Pierre Le Faguays Pierre Camille Marie Le Faguays (1892–1962) was a French Art Deco sculptor. He also used the pseudonyms Fayral, and Guebre. Le Faguays made statuettes, lamps and decorative objects. Biography Pierre Le Faguays was born in 1892 in Nantes, F ...

. He returned to Paris by 1919. In 1925, he showed his work at the ''

Exposition internationale des Arts décoratifs et industriels modernes The International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts (french: Exposition internationale des arts décoratifs et industriels modernes) was a World's fair held in Paris, France, from April to October 1925. It was designed by the Fren ...

'' in Paris, where he won a gold metal. His first popular sculpture was a pelican in 1925. In 1921, Le Verrier married Jeanne Hubrecht, together they had two children. In the early 1920s, he inherited a small metal foundry and by 1926 he started making decorative objects in his own workshop. 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 opposin ...

, Le Verrier's house was used as a dead drop for the Resistance. He was arrested in 1944 for his connection to the Nazi resistance. He was able to reopen studio after the war. His workshop was located at 30 rue Deparcieux, and he had a small shop located at 100 rue du Théâtre in Paris. Le Verrier's studio created bronze lamps, ashtrays, bookends, desk sets, and hood ornaments; often featuring nude women or animals in an Art Deco style. He used a few different patina styles, included the notable "greenie" style, and often mounted them on Italian marble bases. Besides bronze, he also worked with ivory, zinc, terracotta, and ceramics. He also cast work for other sculptors, including Pierre Le Faguays,

, , and Jules Edmont Masson.

Death and legacy

Le Verrier died on 6 June 1973 in Paris. His work can be found in public museum collections, including at the

Musée d'Orsay The Musée d'Orsay ( , , ) ( en, Orsay Museum) is a museum in Paris, France, on the Left Bank of the Seine. It is housed in the former Gare d'Orsay, a Beaux-Arts railway station built between 1898 and 1900. The museum holds mainly French art ...

. Le Verrier's great grandson Damien Blanchet continued to produce his sculptures after his death, under the name Maison Max Le Verrier.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Le Verrier, Max 1891 births 1973 deaths Art Deco sculptors French male sculptors 20th-century French sculptors Alumni of the École Supérieure des Beaux-Arts, Genève