Montanier Francis

He interrupted his artistic studies to do his military service in World War I and resumed them up again in 1920. At the same time, he worked as a goldsmith and painter of window glass. He won the Prize of Paris and settled in the capital where he dedicated himself exclusively to painting and engraving. In 1924 he was awarded the Prize of Rome for his engraving, and settled there for a long period of time where he learned fresco technique. During that same time the won a bronze medal at the Salon des Artistes Francais. Returning to Paris, Durain lent him his studio and he became friends with Braque. His first solo exhibition was held in Paris in 1939. This was followed by others, form 1943 to 1973, in Paris and Luxembourg, as well as Nantes, Buenos Aires and Tokyo. Just before his death the first retrospective of his work was held at the La Havre Museum under the title 35 Years of Painting. The most important exhibitions were organized after his death and were held in 1976 at the Musee d’ Etat de Luxembourg and in 1978 at the Musee d’ art moderne de la ville de Paris.

He was occupied with landscape, still life an the nude. After World War II he went on to abstraction.