Pierre Eugène Montézin
Parigi, 1874 - Moëlan-sur-Mer, Francia, 1946
In 1923 he was awarded the title of Knight of the Legion of Honor, and in 1927 he was appointed president of the Salon de l'Union des Beaux-Arts in Lagny-sur-Marne, Ile de France. From 1930 to 1938 he exhibited with the group, which included painters who, despite their diversity of expression, could be united under the label "Neo-Impressionists." In 1933 he was unanimously elected president of the jury of the Salon des artistes francaise; at the ceremony, an exhibition of 237 works was organized for him.
Thanks to his father, a lace designer, he entered a decorating studio where he learned the technique of mural painting. His employer incites him to study the theories of the Impressionists until Montezin leaves employment to devote himself entirely to painting.
An artist very sensitive to the charm of natural light, his favorite subjects are mainly landscapes in which he applies the principles of painting "en plein air." He looks much to Monet, whom he considers an ideal master, applying in turn the drafting in small touches and imprisoning light in a colored net; this is especially noticeable in paintings depicting snow effects, ponds and bodies of water where the reflections, the colors of the atmosphere and the environment can be most captured.
In 1893 he sent a work to the Salon des Artistes Français but was rejected; he would not be admitted until 1903. It was on this date that he befriended Quost, who taught him the art of drawing and transmitted to him a taste for painting.
In 1907 and 1910 he received third- and second-class medals at the Salon des artistes francaise. From 1914 he was engaged in the war and it was not until the end of the conflict that he resumed painting, moving to Dreux and then to Moret, where he usually spent the summer period. The influence of Alfred Sisley, who had spent his last period precisely in Moret-sur-Loing, near the forest of Fontainebleau, can be seen in the paintings of this period. In 1920 he received the Rosa Bonheur Prize at the Salon and was admitted as an out-of-competition member. After receiving the Medal of Honor he is elected a member of the Committee and Jury.
In 1923 he is awarded the title of Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur, and in 1927 he is appointed president of the Salon de l'Union des Beaux-Arts in Lagny-sur-Marne, Ile de France. From 1930 to 1938 he exhibited with the group, which included painters who, despite their diversity of expression, could be united under the label "Neo-Impressionists." In 1933 he was unanimously elected president of the jury of the Salon des artistes francaise; at the ceremony, an exhibition of 237 works was organized for him. In 1936 he exhibited in Paris at the Galerie du Journal, in 1938 at the Galerie Durand-Ruel, and in 1943 at the Galerie Raphaël Gérard.
In 1940 he became a member of the Academy of Fine Arts in Paris.
He is a close friend of Fernand Pinal, a painter and pupil of the pointillist Henri Martin, who, speaking of his connection with Montezin, will say, "the friendship with which he wished to honor me until his death makes me keep a precious and exciting memory of these banks of the Seine and of Loing, where, during the summer of 1941 I had the opportunity to plant my easel next to his."
Loyal throughout his career to the principles of Impressionist painting, he was never tempted by emerging movements such as Cubism, Surrealism or Abstractionism.
Like Cézanne, he died suddenly while painting outdoors.
Museums:
Manheim (Kunsthalle)
Paris, Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville
Paris, Musée du Petit Palais
Paris, Musée du Luxembourg
Musée des beaux-arts de Bordeaux
Musée Crozatier au Puy-en-Velay
Musée Cantini de Marseille
Musée du Havre
Musée de Roubaix
Musée Marcel Dessal de Dreux
Musée de Lille
Musée de Renne
Musée de Tourcoing
Musée d'Amiens
Musée de Calais
Musée de Lourdes
Musée de Saint-Quentin
Musée Alfred-Danicourt de Péronne
Musée des beaux-arts de Dijon
Bibliography:
E. Bénezit, Dictionnaire critique et documentaire des Peintres, Sculpteurs, Dessinateurs et Graveurs, Paris, Librairie Gründ, 1976; G. Schurr, P. Cabanne, Dictionnaire des Petits Maîtres de la peinture, 1820-1920, Paris, Les éditions de l’amateur, 1996; N. Coret, Autour des Neo-impressionistes, Le Groupe de Lagny, Paris, Somogy, 1999.
An artist very sensitive to the charm of natural light, his favorite subjects are mainly landscapes in which he applies the principles of painting "en plein air." He looks much to Monet, whom he considers an ideal master, applying in turn the drafting in small touches and imprisoning light in a colored net; this is especially noticeable in paintings depicting snow effects, ponds and bodies of water where the reflections, the colors of the atmosphere and the environment can be most captured.
In 1893 he sent a work to the Salon des Artistes Français but was rejected; he would not be admitted until 1903. It was on this date that he befriended Quost, who taught him the art of drawing and transmitted to him a taste for painting.
In 1907 and 1910 he received third- and second-class medals at the Salon des artistes francaise. From 1914 he was engaged in the war and it was not until the end of the conflict that he resumed painting, moving to Dreux and then to Moret, where he usually spent the summer period. The influence of Alfred Sisley, who had spent his last period precisely in Moret-sur-Loing, near the forest of Fontainebleau, can be seen in the paintings of this period. In 1920 he received the Rosa Bonheur Prize at the Salon and was admitted as an out-of-competition member. After receiving the Medal of Honor he is elected a member of the Committee and Jury.
In 1923 he is awarded the title of Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur, and in 1927 he is appointed president of the Salon de l'Union des Beaux-Arts in Lagny-sur-Marne, Ile de France. From 1930 to 1938 he exhibited with the group, which included painters who, despite their diversity of expression, could be united under the label "Neo-Impressionists." In 1933 he was unanimously elected president of the jury of the Salon des artistes francaise; at the ceremony, an exhibition of 237 works was organized for him. In 1936 he exhibited in Paris at the Galerie du Journal, in 1938 at the Galerie Durand-Ruel, and in 1943 at the Galerie Raphaël Gérard.
In 1940 he became a member of the Academy of Fine Arts in Paris.
He is a close friend of Fernand Pinal, a painter and pupil of the pointillist Henri Martin, who, speaking of his connection with Montezin, will say, "the friendship with which he wished to honor me until his death makes me keep a precious and exciting memory of these banks of the Seine and of Loing, where, during the summer of 1941 I had the opportunity to plant my easel next to his."
Loyal throughout his career to the principles of Impressionist painting, he was never tempted by emerging movements such as Cubism, Surrealism or Abstractionism.
Like Cézanne, he died suddenly while painting outdoors.
Museums:
Manheim (Kunsthalle)
Paris, Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville
Paris, Musée du Petit Palais
Paris, Musée du Luxembourg
Musée des beaux-arts de Bordeaux
Musée Crozatier au Puy-en-Velay
Musée Cantini de Marseille
Musée du Havre
Musée de Roubaix
Musée Marcel Dessal de Dreux
Musée de Lille
Musée de Renne
Musée de Tourcoing
Musée d'Amiens
Musée de Calais
Musée de Lourdes
Musée de Saint-Quentin
Musée Alfred-Danicourt de Péronne
Musée des beaux-arts de Dijon
Bibliography:
E. Bénezit, Dictionnaire critique et documentaire des Peintres, Sculpteurs, Dessinateurs et Graveurs, Paris, Librairie Gründ, 1976; G. Schurr, P. Cabanne, Dictionnaire des Petits Maîtres de la peinture, 1820-1920, Paris, Les éditions de l’amateur, 1996; N. Coret, Autour des Neo-impressionistes, Le Groupe de Lagny, Paris, Somogy, 1999.
