Jean MONTEMONT (1913 - 1959) - Lot 539

Jean MONTEMONT (1913 - 1959) "View of Remirmont". Oil on panel. Signed lower right. Size : 19 x 31 cm Painter born in Rupt sur Moselle in 1913, he died in Remiremont in 1959. Son of Adrien Montémont, a cotton broker, and Jeanne Pierrel, he completed all his studies at the Remiremont college, from the 10th grade, which he entered in October 1919, to the Philosophy class, graduating in 1931. That same year, on June 28, in Paris, he was awarded the Concours Général drawing prize by French President Paul Doumer, in recognition of his young talent. Since 1931, when he exhibited for the first time at the Remiremont regional painting exhibition, Jean Montémont has been painting and exhibiting at various shows in Lorraine. In 1948, he exhibited at the Roux-Heutchel gallery in Paris, where his paintings were noticed by the magazineArts, which praised the good tradition of his painting. Local critics later recognized his solid craftsmanship, his ease in all forms of expression and his evolution towards a modernism that respects the most classical rules of nuance and harmony. In addition to Remiremont, on numerous occasions Plombières, Epinal, Nancy, Mulhouse and even Karlsruhe in Germany welcomed his most accomplished works, including Ferme aux Traits de Roche (1954), Les joueurs de cartes(1954), La Grande Rue à Remiremont (1956), le Port de Collioure (1957), Maisons à Remiremont (1958) and le Port du Croisic (1958). A teacher of incomparable pedagogical talent and an accomplished artist, Jean Montémont was taken from us all too soon on the threshold of his maturity, but he also worked tirelessly to provide his department with the cultural infrastructure it lacked in part. His name is to be found at the origin of the foundation of several artistic associations: Société Vosgienne des Amis des Arts (1949), Académie des Arts Plastiques d'Epinal (1954) and Amicale d'Arts Plastiques (1956). After his death, several retrospective exhibitions were held in Remiremont (1959 and 1984), Epinal (1959 and 1967) and Nancy (1960). Bibl.: Poirier (Henri) - Hommage à Jean Montémont, Musée Charles-de-Bruyères, Remiremont, 1984. EcriVosges: "Biographie vosgienne". Source: Art Lorrain.com