Victor Brauner

Victor Brauner, a major figure of Surrealism, was born in 1903 in Pietra Neamtz, Moldavia (Romania). His childhood was steeped in a mystical environment, as his father was a fervent follower of spiritualism, an influence that deeply marked his early years. Social unrest compelled the Brauner family to hastily leave Moldavia for Hamburg in 1907, then to exile in Vienna at the beginning of the Balkan Wars in 1912, before returning to Romania in 1914 via the Danube.

From 1917 onwards, Victor Brauner developed a passion for painting while continuing his studies at the evangelical school in Braïla, where he developed a particular interest in zoology. His academic journey then took him to the School of Fine Arts in Bucharest, where his controversial works led to his expulsion. However, he persisted in his artistic pursuit by joining the Free Academy of Bucharest, while indulging in painting Cezannesque landscapes on the shores of the Black Sea.

The year 1924 marked a decisive turning point in Brauner's life as he co-founded the magazine "75 H.P." alongside the poet Ilarie Voronca, introducing the manifesto of "Picto-poetry." That same year, he held his first solo exhibition at the "Art House" in Bucharest. His inaugural trip to Paris in 1925 was revelatory, where he discovered the haunting works of Giorgio de Chirico, thus stimulating his artistic imagination.

His settlement in Paris in 1930 marked the beginning of a prolific and influential period for Brauner, where he immersed himself fully in the Surrealist movement. His circle of friends included iconic figures such as Brancusi, Benjamin Fondane, and Yves Tanguy. His work, imbued with symbolism and mystery, depicted strange worlds inhabited by enigmatic creatures.

The year 1938 was marked by a tragic event, almost confirming a premonition in Brauner's work: during an altercation between two other artists, he indeed lost his left eye. This tragedy did not halt his creative momentum but rather enriched it with a tragic and introspective dimension.

Brauner, in constant movement between Paris and Bucharest, witnessed the turmoil of war, a period during which he developed his series of "Chimeras" or "Twilights," bearing witness to the torments of his time.

His temporary exile in the French Alps during the war marked a turning point in his artistic technique, where he experimented with wax painting, thus relinquishing the third dimension in favor of a more esoteric and symbolic aesthetic. This evolution culminated in the autobiographical cycle of "Onomathomanies" that he undertook in 1947, a period imbued with doubt and pain, but also with reflection on his own self.

Brauner's final years were marked by a joyful and whimsical exploration of mythology, as evidenced by his famous series "Mythology" and "Mother's Day." His artistic legacy was celebrated during his lifetime, notably by his representation of France at the Venice Biennale in 1966. He passed away in Paris in March of the same year, leaving behind an artistic legacy imbued with mystery and fascination.