Henri Laurens

He created his first small Cubist figures from painted wood and plaster in 1915 – works which are still in existence today. In 1916 he experimented with freely designed constructions, combining a variety of materials such as wood with iron and wood with plaster. He also produced his first paper collages. Laurens's sculptural works and prints substantially impacted each other. In 1917/18 solo exhibitions were held for him by Léonce Rosenberg, and shortly afterwards he also attracted Kahnweiler's attention. In 1919 his abstract experiments were complemented by first reliefs and sculptures made from terracotta and stone, often painted. During the 1920s he returned to figurative work again, while at the same time frequently carrying out architectural and decorative work. From 1921 to 1935 Laurens lived partly in Paris and partly in L'Étang-la-Ville, not far from Aristide Maillol. His female stone and terracotta nudes began to acquire clear, calm contours and more rounded shapes. In 1936/37 he produced his last Cubist works on the occasion of the Paris World Exposition. During the latter half of the 1930s his repertoire of forms very clearly shifted towards organic, biomorphous bodies with flowing, soft contours. His late works include many bronze sculptures, with numerous animal-man metamorphoses that relate to mythological themes from antiquity. After the war Laurens' works were honoured at a large number of national and international exhibitions. He is considered to be one of the most important representatives of modern sculpture.