jean HELION "the passers-by" 1986 unsigned lithograph

Jean Hélion : (1904-1987), of his real name « Jean Bichier », was a french painter whose style oscillated between abstraction and figuration. He has the reputation of having contributed to the introduction of abstract art in the USA. He started painting in the 1920's, with a geometric tendency. In the late 1930's, he turned back to figuration, and started highlighting outlines, in particular those of the heads, in the style of Jean Arp. He travelled to Russia, then to the USA and settled in New York. Jean Hélion married Pegeen Guggenheim, daughter of Peggy Guggenheim, with who he had three children : Fabrice, David and Nicolas. In the late 1960's, Hélion started losing sight. That is why he started introducing blind characters, with a white cane, in his paintings. Jean Hélion always managed to express the youth of his mind in his works, through sharp colours and rythm. He is considered today as the forerunner of german fauve of the 1970's, and of the figuratives of the 1980's. However, his best known works date from the 1930's-1950's. His works can be seen in the biggest museums in the world, such as Tate in London, MoMA in New York, Centre Pompidou in Paris, or in the Peggy Guggenheim collection.