Project Description

Oil on masonite

Dimensions : 40,5 cm x 60,5 cm

Signed in the center right : Jacques Birr

Lobster moving

Jacques Birr (Paris 1920 )

He is a contemporary animal painter, a great artist “above all animal portraitist ». He is both a painter, lithography author, but also sculptor and draftsman. The Monnaie de Paris devoted a very fine exhibition to him in 1997 titled “The eye and life”.

Chemistry

Former chemical engineer, science graduate, graduated from the National School of Chemistry in Paris, Knight of the Legion of Honour, Knight of the National Order of Merit, Knight of Arts and Letters, Jacques Birr discovers painting very young, with his architect father.

Seriously ill during the second world war he made his first drawings. Married to Jeannine Becker, worked at Peychinet then for the printed fabrics industry.

The painting

In 1958 he definitely launches into painting and immediately became interested in the theme of nature. He first drew in the Jardin des Plantes and then in the Zoological Garden in Basel, Switzerland.

First exhibition in 1961, at the Saint Placide gallery, in Paris, then he exhibits a second time in 1963.
In 1963 he meets Henry de Montherlant for an illustration “d’Espana Sacrada”.

To do this he goes to the Camargue to draw bulls. The 24 color lithographs will be released in 1967. That same year he will paint at the Antwerp zoo.

In 1964 he begins to paint in oil directly in front of his model. He goes to Brittany to paint shellfish at the Aquarium of Saint Malo. In 1965 this is his first medal “seafood”. He will make about forty from here 1972.

In 1967 he meets Maurice Genevoix to illustrate “The lost forest” which will come out 1972.

In 1975 he draws 53 plates for Jean Dorst's new bestiary, “The universe of life”, the first modern bestiary published by the Imprimerie Nationale since Buffon.

The stamp “Percheron by Jacques Birr” will come out 1978. That same year the painter also illustrated “the Bestiaries” by Henri de Montherlant, published by Gallimard editions.

Animal painter par excellence, Jacques Birr finished in 1997 writing his book “Only beauty remains”.

Sources : http://carnavalanimots.blogspot.fr

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