Venard Catalogue

Claude Venard (1913 -

1999)

Claude Venard (1913 - 1999).

Venard was born in France in 1913 and dedicated himself fully to painting at the age of seventeen. He studied at the École des Arts Appliques for six years, having fled the Académie des Beaux-Arts after just 48 hours. In 1938 he signed the Rupture manifesto and participated in the first exhibition of the influential group Forces Nouvelles, alongside Gruber and Tal-Coat at the Galerie Billiet-Vorms. A close affinity subsequently developed among these painters and together they were instrumental in forging the aesthetic of the immediate post-war period of the Ecole de Paris.

Venard quickly became known for his rich impasto and varying texture. Influenced by the Cubist and Abstract movements, Venard’s work captured the essence of Parisian life. During the 1950s, Paris experienced a cultural renaissance, attracting artists from around the world. Venard was at the forefront of this movement, exploring new artistic techniques and pushing the boundaries of traditional art. Inspired by the works of Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque, Venardembraced Cubism, a movement that shattered traditional notions of perspective and representation. In Venard’s post-Cubist works, he incorporated elements of abstraction, creating a unique visual language that blended both styles. His paintings were characterized by bold, vibrant colours, thick brushstrokes, and fragmented geometric forms.

Venard had become a highly celebrated artist having featured in contemporary art exhibitions around the world since 1935. He held numerous successful one man shows in practically all the capitals of Europe, and established an international reputation by showing all over the world.