Henri Laurent is a famous French sculptor, set designer and painter. Despite serious health problems, he managed to make his way from a simple bricklayer to a world famous artist. During his life, he managed to participate in major international exhibitions, try himself as a book illustrator and make friends with the leading masters of his time.
Early biography
Henri Laurent was born on February 18, 1885 in Paris. The boy, like all his peers, was educated in elementary school, and in his free time he was engaged in drawing. He tried to copy the paintings of famous artists and imitate them in every possible way. In 1899, the young man was taken aback by vocational training in the field of art. The young man decided to take several lessons from the leading masters of that time in order to finally figure out whether he should continue to move in this direction. Quite quickly, Henri began to create works that amazed even the most prominent artists. Influenced by Auguste Rodin, he painted several surreal canvases, and also developed preliminary layouts and sketches for his future sculptures.
However, the paintings did not cover all the expenses of Henri Laurent, and at some point a financial abyss formed in front of him. To provide for himself and his family, he had to earn money as a bricklayer. But routine activities did not bring pleasure to the young man, so he soon decided to quit. Laurent returned to art again and never deviated from this path.
Creative success
In 1911, the future sculptor became friends with the painter Georges Braque, who first introduced him to Cubism. Henri first took part in the work of the art society "Salon of Independence", which functioned in Paris in 1913. It was here that he began to improve his creative skills and make the first professional sculptures.
Two years later, Laurent is noticed by such prominent artists as Juan Gris Amadeo Modigliani and Pablo Picasso. Henri begins to enter influential circles, where art in its various manifestations has always become the main topic of communication. Such a creative atmosphere, of course, motivated the sculptor to new searches.
Since 1916, Laurent has performed Cubist collages and designs. During the same period, he became close to the French poet Pierre Reverdy and illustrated the best works of the author on his canvases.
Career growth
The real popularity came to Henri Laurent in 1917 during a personal exhibition in Paris. It was there that he signed a number of important contracts with entrepreneurs, collectors, and gallery managers.
During the 1920s, Laurent carried out projects for various architectural ensembles, decorating the central streets of the French capital. In addition, he collaborated with theater workshops. The artist created the scenery and acted as an advisor to the directors. Thus, it is known that he made stage elements for the performance of the troupe of Sergei Diaghilev's "Russian Ballet" in 1924.
In 1932-1933, Henri was torn between Paris and neighboring Etan-la-Ville. In his hometown, he continued to create, and in a small commune he periodically met with famous artists, musicians and painters. It was in this society that Laurent found new ideas for his future works and received critical reviews for finished works.
The sculptor made a significant contribution to the World's Fair, which was held in Paris in 1937. Here he presented the high reliefs "Earth and Water" (Pavilion of Sevres), "Life and Death" (Palace of Discovery). Despite the fact that the main struggle for the best project unfolded between the USSR and Germany, the works of Henri Laurent enjoyed unprecedented popularity. Since that time, the artist's fame went beyond France and spread throughout the world.
In 1938, Henri Laurent went on his first large-scale tour to Oslo, Stockholm and Copenhagen. He took with him not only sculptures, but also art canvases. On his journey, the sculptor invited Braque and Picasso, who willingly accepted the invitation and also demonstrated several major works.
In 1945, the master's products were exhibited for the first time in galleries in New York. Around this time, Laurent made a number of book illustrations, for which he received an award from the French Writers' Society.
Later, the sculptor's works found their permanent home in the Venice Museum, in the Palais des Beaux Arts in Brussels, in the National Museum of Modern Art in Paris. In addition, the artist has extensively exhibited in Europe and the United States of America, as well as in Sao Paulo.
It is important to note that every year Henri Laurent has been improving the author's style. If at the beginning of his career the artist practiced the technique of cubism, then at the end of his life he gravitated towards plastic abstraction. In addition, Laurent was successfully engaged in graphics. He illustrated Theocritus' Idylls, Lucian's Dialogues and Eluard's poetry collections.
Personal life
As a teenager, Anri was diagnosed with bone tuberculosis. Because of this terrible disease, seven years later, his leg was amputated. Laurent's relationship with women did not work out. Many socialites perceived him exclusively as a friend.
Nevertheless, Henri Laurent had many colleagues, acquaintances and like-minded people. Until the end of his days, he treasured his friendships with Georges Braque, Pablo Picasso and Juan Gris. These creative people greatly influenced his life and helped to find his own path in art.
Laurent died in his native Paris on May 5, 1954.
