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Mid-Century Cubist Figural Study by Marceau Constantin (1918-2017)
£1,850
Taxes included.
Description
A Mid-Century Charcoal on paper figural study of a seated woman by Marceau Constantin (1918-2017). Signed and dated '6-XI-50' to lower right. House in original frame.
Dimensions: H 85cm W 71cm D 5cm
Origin: French
Date: 1950
Marceau Constantin (1918–2017) was a versatile French modernist painter, sculptor, and illustrator whose prolific career crossed more than seven decades of changing art movements. He is widely recognised for his masterful control of geometric structure and sharp draftsmanship, moving from post-war Parisian Cubism into a vibrant, graphic style deeply inspired by the light and landscapes of the South of France.
Born on 7 January 1918 in the Provençal village of Saint-Christol d'Albion, Constantin pursued his formal art education in post-World War II Paris. Settling in the historic arts district of Montparnasse, he trained under several of the most influential teachers and artists of the mid-20th century. Most notably, he studied under the prominent Cubist master André Lhote, the sculptor Ossip Zadkine, and the painter Marcel Gromaire. This rigorous academic environment taught him how to structurally break down forms, manipulate negative space, and use mathematical guidelines—such as compass arcs and linear grids—to create balanced compositions.
Constantin was highly adaptable, moving fluidly between oil painting, printmaking, ceramics, sculpture, and drawing. His artistic journey is generally divided into two defining phases:
- The Post-War Period: During the late 1940s and 1950s, his work was heavily academic and analytical, characterised by monochromatic charcoal and graphite studies that explored the geometric planes of the human body.
- The Provençal Period: As his style matured, he integrated the radiant atmosphere of his home region into his art. His colour choices brightened into a vivid palette of Mediterranean blues, terracottas, and golds. He developed a signature technique that utilised bold outlines and intersecting sections of flat, clean colour to depict everyday scenes, landscapes, and figures.
Over his lifetime, Constantin gained international visibility, showcasing his art in galleries and exhibitions throughout Europe, North America, and Asia. He maintained strong ties to his birthplace, and in 2009, the Musée Marceau Constantin was established in Saint-Christol d'Albion to permanently house a large archive of his life's work.
He passed away on 3 January 2017 at the age of 98, leaving behind an extensive catalog that highlights the transition from strict cubist theory to free-flowing mid-century modernism.
Item Number: 2109262
