2. Artists & stock
3. Jean-Claude Vignes
4. Biography

Notes of biography

Jean-Claude Vignes is born in Reims in 1924. His family, devotee to art, conveys his passion to his children. Very soon, the young boy’s tastes lean towards literature, music and painting. Arrived in Paris in 1942, after followed classical studies, Jean-Claude Vignes studies at the School of Decorative Fine Arts and follow evening courses proposed by the Cultural Services of the City. The future artist discovers the painting of the masters of the Renaissance (Botticelli, Fra Angelico, Uccello, etc.) Painting that mark him forever (he has a passion for the work of Caravaggio, Titian and especially Piero della Francesca).
He is not yet twenty years old when he set up his first workshop; the young man is intensely involved in cultural activities of the turmoil of Paris post-war. He is introduced to printmaking (etching and engraving) and practices it during several years. He works (1947) with Hans Bellmer and color photography of the latter for his book "The Doll" (Ed. Marcel Zerbib). Vignes knows Ellsworth Kelly, who comes to live in Paris from 1948 to 1954 (much later, in 1992, Vignes participates at the setting of the exhibition of the latter held in the National Galery of the “Jeu de Paume”). Vignes travels (especially Italy).
Until his settling in Cannes (1963), the artist, alongside with his activities as a painter and engraver, conducts an activity of designer for theater, dance (for Janine Charrat and Peter Van Dyck in 1951) and film, exploring pictorial territory sensitized by his encounter with the work of American painter Mark Tobey. He designs the windows of the church of Fontaine les Grès in 1954, as well as models of books, discs and tissues. It is during this time that Jean-Claude Vignes acquires a mastery of techniques (painting, drawing).
His drawn work, in particular, stands gradually from the late sixties, subsequent to the series of "assemblies" and "painted relief" - which are more artistic concerns of the sixties - succeed then multiple sets of drawings that derive from each other. After experimenting with space-based traces of "Footprints" body, he creates the "frictions", draws the "crumpled paper". In 1968, Jean-Claude Vignes creates in collaboration, sets and costumes for the film "The body of Diana" (Jean-Louis Richard) with Jeanne Moreau with whom he befriends.
In the 80s, he discusses the impressive series of "Fragments of bodies" which reveals the direct translation of the purest of his own emotion. During a time, Vignes turns to a work of interpretation from the painting of old masters. Then other series come: "Clothing", "Cushion" dug by the weight of bodies, "Fish Heads", the "Quinces", the "Garlic" and "Landscapes", the last two series that he paints on the reused wood, old irregular and eroded boards.
Jean-Claude Vignes disappears in Nice in early 1996.

Against a background of desire, the torsos, stomachs, backs and other autonomous bodily fragments impart their secrets to us, the secret dramas concealed in men’s flesh. Frédéric Ballester

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