Biography

Robert Couturier, a lithograph student in Paris, was quickly noticed in 1928 by Aristide Maillol. The latter is seduced by the «badly-done» aspect of his sculpture: «You, Couturier, in the badly-done kind, you will do something very good». Robert Couturier became his student and friend. In the 1930s, he won the Blumenthal prize and took part in group exhibitions in Parisian galleries. In 1936, Georges Huisman (Director General of Fine Arts and Chairman of the Commission for Orders of the International Exhibition of Arts and Techniques in Modern Life) commissioned…

Robert Couturier, a lithograph student in Paris, was quickly noticed in 1928 by Aristide Maillol. The latter is seduced by the «badly-done» aspect of his sculpture: «You, Couturier, in the badly-done kind, you will do something very good». Robert Couturier became his student and friend. In the 1930s, he won the Blumenthal prize and took part in group exhibitions in Parisian galleries. In 1936, Georges Huisman (Director General of Fine Arts and Chairman of the Commission for Orders of the International Exhibition of Arts and Techniques in Modern Life) commissioned Le Jardinier for the Trocadéro esplanade in Paris.
In 1938, he signed the manifesto ‘Rupture avec le groupe Forces Nouvelles et Nouvelle Génération’. A manifesto defending the return to traditional arts and crafts. Their artistic approach is to renew the representation of man. A new aesthetic that will have an impact internationally. Robert Couturier made his first solo exhibition in London, taking part in group exhibitions in Brussels and Berlin. In 1948-1949, his works were represented in two important exhibitions bringing together the old and new generations of sculptors in Bern and Amsterdam. His works are exhibited at the Venice Biennales, Sao Paulo, Antwerp. The Monnaie de Paris organized a major retrospective in 1975, exhibiting his sculptures, drawings and medals.
Between tradition and modernity, Robert Couturier proposes a new interpretation of the human figure. Inventor of allusive sculpture, he frees himself from the classical form to bring a renewal. The female figure is mainly his source of inspiration. By a line, it suggests the body while using a plural language of stretched, full or hollow forms. He creates dynamic works in a desire for dialogue between form and space. He plays with matter, uses plaster, bronze, stone and integrates everyday objects into his sculptures. The works of Robert Couturier are rhythmic between form and matter, a gentle balance that offer the greatest freedom of interpretation.
“My great joy is to evoke as much humanity as possible by seeking the most limited and simple means of matter”. Robert Couturier

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