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Jean-Michel AtlanUntitled, 1959Oil on burlap21 1/4 x 31 7/8 inches
Framed: 28 1/2 x 39 1/4 inchesAccompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity by M. Jacques Elbaz.Signed and dated lower right: 59 Atlan
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Jean-Michel AtlanUntitled, 1956Pastel and crayon on paper17 3/4 x 21 3/4 inches
Framed: 44 1/2 x 53 1/2 inchesIncluded in the ATLAN catalogue raisonné as no. 1425, and accompanied by Certificate of Authenticity by Camille Atlan.Signed lower right: Atlan
Overview
Jean-Michel Atlan was born on January 23, 1913 in Constantine, Algeria. In 1930 he moved to Paris to study philosophy at the Sorbonne. However, in 1941 he launched himself as an essentially self-taught artist. The publishing of his poetry and its rhythmic elements had led him next to experiment with painting. Unfortunately he was arrested in 1942 for his Jewish heritage and for his political activism as part of the French Resistance or Underground. After the war and the occupation of Paris ended, Atlan had his first exhibition at the Gallerie Arc en Ciel. In 1946 he became a part of the CoBrA art group when his own studio on Rue de la Grand-Chaumière became a gathering place for the group. The Cobra Group was formed by Karel Appel, Constant, Corneille, Christian Dotremont, Asper Jorn, and Joseph Noiret, who all espoused a complete freedom of form and color in art and who opposed the Surrealism movement. As a result of the influence of the Cobra group Atlan's paintings at this point in his career consisted of works that displayed abstract and fanciful shapes that resembled animals. In 1955 his works which included Le Kahena, and Composition were exhibited at the Gallerie Carpenter. However, by 1956 Atlan had found his own particular style which consisted of strong, black consolidated lines that enclosed pastel colored areas of color. During the 1950's Atlan's works were well received in France, England, Japan and the United States. Atlan died of cancer in Paris on February 12, 1960 and was buried in the Montparnasse Cemetery. At the time of his death Atlan was considered an important member of the "Nouvelle École de Paris."
Exhibitions
Gallerie Arc en Ciel, Paris, 1944-5
Galerie Denise René, 1946
Galerie Maeght, Paris, 1947
Sandri Gallery, 1949
Biennale de Menton, 1951, 1953, 1955
Exposition Internationale d'Art, Liege, 1951
Gallerie Carpenter, Paris, 1955
Biennale de Sao Paulo, 1955, 1957
Bridgestone Museum, Nouvelle Äole de Paris Exhibition, Tokyo, 1955, 1957
Charpentier Gallery, Äcole de Paris Exhibition, Paris, 1956
Galerie Bing, Paris, 1956, 1959, 1962
Festival de L'Avant-Garde, 1956
Musée National d'Art Moderne, 1957, 1958, 1963 (retrospective)
Galerie Creuze, 1957
Galerie Dupont, Lille, 1957 (solo)
Palaié d'Antibes, 1957 (solo)
Galeria del Naviglio, Milan, 1958
Czwiklitzer Gallery, Cologne, 1958
Kaplan Gallery, London, 1959
Galerie Roux-Malaval, Lyons, 1959
Tel Aviv Museum, 1964 (retrospective)
Museums and Public Collections
Amstelveen Museum, Netherlands
Cincinnati Art Museum, Ohio
Haifa Museum, Israel
Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington, D.C.
Museum of Modern Art, New York City
Harvard University Art Museums, Massachusetts
Indianapolis Museum of Art, Indiana  Â
Joseph Cantor Foundation, Indianapolis, Indiana
Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris
Musée des Beaux Arts, Lille
Musée des Beaux Arts, Lyons
Musée Gauguin, Tahiti
Musée Picasso, Antibes
Museum of Art and History, Luxembourg
Museum of Contemporary Art, Montreal, Canada
Museum of Modern Art, New York
National Museum of Western Art, Tokyo
Nordjyllands Kunstmuseum, Denmark
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, California
Scientific Research Centre, Rehovot, Israel
Sogetsu Art Museum, Tokyo
Staatsgalerie, Stuttgart, Germany
Statens Museum for Kunst, Copenhagen, Denmark
Tate Gallery, London
Tel Aviv Museum of Art, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem
Wallraf-Richartz Museum, Cologne, Germany
