Jacques Villon was a French artist born in 1875 and died in 1963. He is highly regarded as an important figure of the 20th century art world, having worked with a variety of mediums including printmaking, painting, drawing and lithography. He was a prominent member of the Cubist movement, a style of art which had its heyday during the early part of the twentieth century.
Jacques Villon was one of the four highly gifted siblings in the astonishing Villon family, otherwise known as “the Cubist Four”. Along with his brothers Raymond and Marcel, alongside their sister Marie, the Villon family produced a rich range of works during the height of modernism.
The Life and Work of Jacques Villon
Jacques Villon was born on 6 June 1875, in Damville, Eugene-Emmanuel. His full name was Gaston Emile Duchamp, but he was better known as the artist Jacques Villon. Whilst attending the Académie Julian, Villon studied sculpture, engraving and metalworking. But it was his printmaking, lithography and monotype techniques that would soon become his favoured choice of medium.
At the age of just 20, Villon became the most advanced student at the Académie Julian. Within a year he was regularly participating in group exhibitions and demonstrating his skill with printmaking. It wasn’t long before his unique style of expression painting was noticed and he joined the Paris Salons, placing his name firmly on the art scene.
Villon began to experiment in new areas at the beginning of the twentieth century. He started to move away from the Impressionist techniques of his youth and started to study contemporary cubist styles. Over the next few years, the young artist received numerous awards for his work and had work presented in important exhibitions like the Salon des Indépendants.
Villon’s works continued to receive critical recognition up until his death in 1963. His works spanned over a forty-year period but were concentrated into two main movements – Cubism and Expressionism.
Great Artworks By Jacques Villon
Throughout his prolific career, Jacques Villon produced numerous works that have come to define the modernist art world. His great works contain vibrant colors and exaggerated shapes that have created some truly memorable and iconic artwork. Here is just a selection of some of his greatest works.
Bicycle (1911)
The Bicycle is among the most iconic of Villon’s works. It is probably one of the best-known prints of the Cubist movement. The print features a cross-section of a bicycle in bright colors and with distorted elements, which creates a captivating image.
The Menaced Assassin (1927)
The Menaced Assassin is one of the most unique and profound prints of the twentieth century. It is a print of a young woman hiding in fear, engulfed in bright colors and with an eerie sense of dread. The work is thought to be a commentary on the collapse of French society during the Great War.
Lot and His Daughters (1933)
Lot and His Daughters is a stunning example of Villon’s Expressionist style. The painting depicts the Biblical story of Lot and his daughters in the wilderness. In contrast to the gloomy story, Villon included bright colors and exaggerated shapes, creating a surreal and captivating image.
The Toilette (1898)
The Toilette is an early work that captures the elegance and beauty of the early-20th-century woman. Villon made use of his skill with printmaking to depict a woman as she applies perfume, with vibrant colors and a sense of elegance.
Breakfast (1910)
Breakfast is another iconic print that perfectly encapsulates Villon’s later abstract style. The print features a figure in a state of repose, with a simple composition that creates a captivating and atmospheric image.
Jacques Villon was one of the foremost figures in the art world of the twentieth century and his works remain timeless masterpieces. His skill in printmaking and abstract painting created a unique visual style that pushed the boundaries of traditional art. From the Bicycle to Breakfast and many other works in between, each of his great artworks have become an iconic part of the modernist art movement.
