Maurice Esteve Biography
Maurice Estève was a French painter born in Culan in 1904. From a young age he showed a great passion for art, drawing intensely at the age of 8. At 10 he had the opportunity to discover Paris, the Louvre and several painters such as Delacroix, Corot and Courbet, while at 11 he started painting. This marked the beginning of his artistic vocation.
Although her father did not share her passion for art, Estève's mother encouraged him in his pursuits. At just 19, she left Paris for Spain, where she ran a shawl design atelier for a year. Upon his return to France, he devoted himself to painting and lived by his wits. In 1930 he had his first real atelier, but his first exhibition was unsuccessful.
Estève was a self-taught painter, going through various phases in figurative and abstract art. Under the influence of Braque, Matisse, Bonnard and Jacques Villon, he quickly found his colors. He chose the latter, but has always rejected this cataloging for his work.
Estève's art was consecrated in Bourges, where he created a museum at the Hotel des Echevins and donated 125 works two years earlier. He was considered one of the greatest painters of our time. Furthermore, he was an exceptional draftsman, watercolourist and lithographer, and also produced numerous collages. He has exhibited in numerous solo and group exhibitions in France and abroad, and has been the subject of several retrospectives.
In summary, Maurice Estève was a major French artist of the 20th century who was successful in several art forms. His art is characterized by a balance between shapes and explosions of color, and he influenced many other painters.
