Robert Juvin (1921–2005) was a French sculptor who worked in stone and concrete, and is known for his mounted wall reliefs.
Life and work
Robert Juvin was born in 1921 in
Redon, Ille-et-Vilaine.
He attended the ''École supérieure de dessin'' in Paris, and in 1941 went to the ''École des Beaux-arts'' in Paris.
He also studied at the ''École régionale des Beaux-arts'' in
Nantes
Nantes (, , ; Gallo: or ; ) is a city in Loire-Atlantique on the Loire, from the Atlantic coast. The city is the sixth largest in France, with a population of 314,138 in Nantes proper and a metropolitan area of nearly 1 million inhabita ...
.
During
World War II (1939–45) he fought in the
French Resistance. Later he was awarded the
Croix de Guerre
The ''Croix de Guerre'' (, ''Cross of War'') is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was first awa ...
.
He was attached to the military government in Germany for administration of artistic recovery.
Juvin was professor of sculpture at the French School in
Koblenz
Koblenz (; Moselle Franconian language, Moselle Franconian: ''Kowelenz''), spelled Coblenz before 1926, is a German city on the banks of the Rhine and the Moselle, a multi-nation tributary.
Koblenz was established as a Roman Empire, Roman mili ...
, Germany.
Juvin founded the group ''Mur Vivant'' (Living Wall) which set itself the goal of re-integrating the visual arts with architecture.
He prepared reliefs in asbestos-cement.
Juvin was commissioned to create one of the sixteen haut-relief sculptures for the
Mémorial de la France combattante
The Mémorial de la France combattante (Memorial to Fighting France) is the most important memorial to French fighters of World War II (1939–1945). It is situated below Fort Mont-Valérien in Suresnes, in the western suburbs of Paris. It commemo ...
at Fort Mont-Valérien, opened in June 1960.
His sculpture, entitled ''Narvik'', commemorates the departure of the French expeditionary force from
Narvik
( se, Áhkanjárga) is the third-largest municipality in Nordland county, Norway, by population. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Narvik. Some of the notable villages in the municipality include Ankenesstranda, Ball ...
, Norway on 3–8 June 1940.
It depicts a longship pierced with arrows, but still afloat.
His ''Allégorie de la Loire'', made around 1960, is mounted in the wall of the ''Quai Mayaud'' of
Saumur
Saumur () is a commune in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France.
The town is located between the Loire and Thouet rivers, and is surrounded by the vineyards of Saumur itself, Chinon, Bourgueil, Coteaux du Layon, etc.. Saumur statio ...
.
In 1962 Juvin created a bas-relief ''Bienheureuse Vierge de la Merced'' for the facade of the
Église Sainte-Jeanne-de-Chantal in Paris (16e).
Early in 1964 Juvin's work was displayed in the Biennale de la Sculpture at the Rodin museum in Paris.
Juvin was commissioned to create the facades of the ''
Musée de La Poste
The Musée de La Poste (La Poste's Museum) is the museum of the French postal operator La Poste. It specialises in the postal history and philately of France. Opened in 1946, the museum has been located on two sites in Paris. The museum was clo ...
''.
Juvin's sculpture ''Couple'' (1987) stands in the gardens of the Palais Carnoles,
Menton's Museum of Fine Art.
A retrospective exhibition of his work was held at the Palais Carnoles from 22 February to 19 May 2003.
Robert Juvin died in Menton in décember 2005.
Awards
Awards given to Juvin included:
*Prix de la Fondation Florence Blumenthal, 1954
*Officier des Arts et Lettres, 1961
*Prix du Jeune Travailleur Intellectuel – collaboration architecte-sculpteur, 1962
*Grande médaille d’argent de la Ville de Paris, 1963
References
Sources
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Juvin, Robert
1921 births
2005 deaths
20th-century French sculptors
French male sculptors