A Life of Artistic Exploration
Born in the 6th arrondissement of Paris, France, Jean Legros was a painter and sculptor who engaged with various forms of expression throughout his life. His early years were spent in an artistic environment, surrounded by the friendships of his father. Following the Second World War, he joined the Resistance and later worked as a shepherd for a year after completing a C.A.P. as a shepherd. His return to painting was encouraged by several figures, including Paul Éluard, Henri Laurens, Ossip Zadkine, and Adolphe Péterelle. After settling in Paris, he participated in Parisian salons starting in 1947 with figurative painting. He also served as a drawing teacher in Paris and spent summers in Touraine, where the landscapes became an essential source of inspiration for him during the 1950s.
Evolution of Form and Color
Legros's work underwent significant transformations, moving from figurative painting toward geometric abstraction. In 1949, he studied under Jean Dewasne. His 1956 painting, La fenêtre, is noted as a precursor to the minimal geometric abstraction that would characterize much of his work. During a period of research in Léouville, Loiret, he developed a subtle chromaticity. By 1973, he entered a phase of purely geometric colored abstraction, creating various series such as:
His diverse output also included relief-sculptures made of painted wood and brass, stencils on paper, and works inspired by the construction of the Centre Georges-Pompidou. He passed away in Malakoff.
