Jean Couty, born on March 12, 1907 in Lyon and died on May 14, 1991 (at the age of 84) in the same city, was a French painter.
Jean Couty's parents are from Creuse. His ancestors were farmers and masons.
In 1918, he created his first pencil drawings depicting boats and fishermen. In 1920, the Ziniar group was founded in Lyon, with art critics Marius Mermillon and Georges Besson. At the age of 15 in 1922, he met the architect Tony Garnier who advised him to attend the School of Fine Arts in Lyon. In 1925, he joined the architecture class of Sainte-Marie Perrin. Under the guidance of Henri Focillon, he won the first prize in archaeology. The Ziniars created the Southeast Salon at the Palais des Expositions on Quai de Bondy in Lyon's 5th arrondissement.
Later, in 1926, Jean Couty joined Tony Garnier's workshop, who later advised him to choose painting. Couty admires the work of Gustave Courbet. The following year, he was admitted to the regional school of architecture in Lyon and at the same time attended classes at the higher school of architecture at the Beaux-Arts in Paris. It was during a vacation in Creuse that he drew and painted his first compositions. In 1928, he created his first drawings of Romanesque churches. He also often sketched at the Vaise water station. The following year, he obtained a deferment for military service.
After visiting the Vinatier Hospital in 1931, Couty painted "The Parable of the Madmen," and then he painted "The Blast Furnaces" in Rive-de-Gier. The Témoignage group was created, with Marcel Michaud (Folklore gallery), René-Maria Burlet (Académie du Minotaure), and Albert Gleizes (at Moly Sabata). He later explored various themes such as large compositions, snow-covered landscapes, paintings with characters, and paintings of courtesans.
The year 1933 is marked by his obtaining the DPLG architect diploma. He is appointed as a member of the Salon du Sud-Est where he exhibits "Sans travail" (Without work). The painting is noticed by two art critics, Georges Besson and Marius Mermillon, whom Couty will meet. The group Les Nouveaux (Pelloux, Chartres, Vieilly, Chancrin, Aynard, Besset, and Carlotti) is created. In 1935, Jean Couty joins the group Les Nouveaux. Through Georges Besson, he exhibits a painting at the Braun gallery in Paris.
His painting "La Mère," completed in 1936, was the only one exhibited in Paris at the Salon des Indépendants and caught the attention of André Lhote. Couty would regularly exhibit at the Indépendants as well as at the Salon d'Automne.
In 1937, he received the Grand Prix from the Paris-Lyon Group. The State acquired the painting "Bords de Saône," which is now owned by the Denon Museum in Chalon-sur-Saône. He exhibited several paintings at the Worms Gallery. The following year, he traveled to Brittany and conducted research on still life.
In 1939, he was mobilized in the infantry in Lyon at the barracks of "Fort-Lamothe". Later on, he painted portraits at the Hospice de la Rochette as well as at the Capuchin and Franciscan fathers. Couty befriended writers Claude Aveline and Louis Martin-Chauffier and met Katia Granoff, who would become his dealer in Paris. He made the first drawing of the resistance in "Les Temps Nouveaux". Afterwards, he went to paint in Haute-Loire.
It was in 1943 that Jean Couty conducted numerous studies on portraits following his stay with the Christian Brothers of Lyon. He illustrated the poems of Paul Claudel, Louis Gillet, and Stanislas Fumet in the work "Saint-François, chez nous."
In 1944, he created a series of drawings on the theme of deportation. The year 1945 was decisive: Katia Granoff presented Jean Couty's first exhibition in Paris. It was shown by the gallery until 1997. He exhibited several paintings, including "Le Bénédicté," which was noticed and admired by Picasso and is now owned by the Museum of the Civil Hospitals of Lyon. Jean Couty exhibited regularly in the gallery for over forty years. The State purchased the painting "Portrait of a Theologian."
In 1946, Jean Couty worked at the Hospice de la Rochette and, for his still lifes, focused on the theme of bread and wine. He took part in a collective exhibition of contemporary art at the Luxembourg Museum. The following year, he painted portraits of children in orphanages. He also participated in a French art exhibition in Ottawa at the National Gallery of Canada.
In 1948, the State purchased "Les deux vieilles" (or "Les femmes au bol"), exhibited at the Granoff gallery. Couty donated a painting to the French Institute in Athens, where he participated in an exhibition alongside the greats of the School of Paris (Picasso, Matisse, Braque, Marquet...). He took part in an exhibition of sacred art in South America. One of his paintings was sold at an auction to benefit UNESCO-supported projects. It was in 1949 that Jean Couty visited Romanesque churches in Haute-Loire. He joined the group "L'Homme témoin" created by Lorjou and exhibited at the Claude Gallery in Paris.
In 1950, he received the Grand Prix de la Critique de Paris, one year after Buffet and Lorjou. The State purchased several of his paintings, including "The Woman in the Chair," "The Meal," and "The Metal Stamping Worker." A large painting titled "Death" was acquired by Jean Cassou for the Museum of Modern Art of the City of Paris. The press coverage was abundant and laudatory.
He was invited to the Salon des peintres témoins de leur temps in 1951 at the Musée Galliera in Paris. He also presented the painting Le Baptême at the Sainte Placide gallery during the Prix de la Critique exhibition. He took part in the France-Italy exhibition in Turin. During a trip to Italy in 1952, he was deeply moved by Masaccio and Piero della Francesca. He exhibited at the Biennale in Genoa and participated in a group exhibition in Belgrade and Belgium. During a trip to Holland the following year, he was struck by Rembrandt's Bathsheba. Upon his return, he painted a series of views of the port of Amsterdam. He was nominated for the Prix de la Triennale de Menton. He participated in a contemporary art exhibition in Ljubljana. The State purchased the painting Still Life with Turkish Tablecloth and the painting The Candlestick.
In 1954, he exhibited at the Salon des peintres témoins de leur temps in Paris. He produced a series of drawings on industrial suburbs. It was in 1955 that he stayed in Auvergne where he painted numerous Romanesque churches but also volcanoes. He also painted in Brionnais. He participated in the Salon de mai. The State bought a still life painting with apples.
The year 1956 is marked by the death of his father, of whom he had painted several portraits. He paints "The Massacre of the Jews in the Warsaw Ghetto." The painting will be sold at auction at Drouot in 1967 for the benefit of the people of Israel. The state buys the painting "Pressing in Juliénas." He holds his first exhibition at the Malaval gallery in Lyon in 1957. He also takes a trip to Provence. The state buys the painting "The Pie."
In 1958, Jean Couty was awarded the title of "Knight of Arts and Letters". The following year, he became the first painter to illustrate the National Lottery ticket. He started a series dedicated to Romanesque churches, which he exhibited at the Katia Granoff Gallery. A book on this theme was published by Lydia Harambourg (historian and art critic for the Gazette Drouot) at Ides & Calendes in Neuchâtel in 1998. Mourlot in Paris published a lithograph titled "The Swiss Guards".
He was invited in 1960 to the Charpentier gallery in Paris for an exhibition of the School of Paris. He was made a Knight of the Legion of Honor and participated in the salon of painters who were witnesses of their time. The State purchased "La cathédrale du Puy," a painting that is now located in the Cambrai Museum. Mourlot in Paris published a lithograph in 1961 depicting the Romanesque church of Semur-en-Brionnais. He also exhibited at the Katia Granoff Gallery.
Subsequently, Jean Couty illustrated a text by Jean Giono for the book titled "Routes et chemins," published by the Editions des Peintres Témoins de leur Temps. The State purchased the painting depicting the Abbey of Moissac. In 1963, he embarked on a trip to Spain, passing through Corrèze. Mourlot in Paris published a lithograph titled "Le Chandelier." He also illustrated a text by André Flament for the book "L'Événement," published by the Peintres Témoins de leur Temps. The following year, he visited Brittany, Poitou, and Charente, as well as Germany. The United Nations produced two postcards for Christmas (Church of St. Saturnin and Church of Elne). The State acquired "L'église de Saintes" displayed at Granoff's, which is now housed at the Museum of Fine Arts in La Rochelle.
In 1965, he exhibited at the Baukunst gallery in Cologne. He took part in the exhibition "35 painters" at the Athénée Museum in Geneva. He traveled to southern Italy. The city of Paris acquired the painting titled "Le Pain et le vin" at the Salon des Peintres Témoins de leur Temps. Mourlot in Paris published a lithograph titled "Collonges la Rouge." He also traveled to Italy (Venice, Sicily).
The year 1966 is marked by the death of his mother (one of his portraits painted in 1939 is exhibited at the Museum of Fine Arts in Lyon). He meets and marries Simone Drevon. An exhibition is held at the Verrière gallery in Lyon. He stays in Venice. UNICEF publishes Christmas postcards for the benefit of disadvantaged children. Daragnès publishes a lithographed drawing entitled "La Solitude." The State purchases the painting "La Saône."
In 1967, Jean Couty traveled to Spain (Andalusia). The couple gave birth to a unique son whom they named Charles-Olivier. Couty was awarded a medal by the city of Montrouge. He received the Grand Prix from the Academy of Mâcon. The following year, he exhibited at the Verrière gallery in Lyon and at the Granoff gallery in Paris. He traveled to Spain.
It was in 1970 that Jean Couty was appointed Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters. He exhibited at the Verrière gallery in Paris and traveled to Morocco. He also made a new trip to Italy. In 1971, the Maison de la Culture in Bourges presented a retrospective exhibition (catalog, preface by Jean Goldman). The following year, he traveled to Sicily and Italy where he made numerous sketches.
Then, in 1973, he exhibited at the Verrière gallery in Paris. He became interested in the construction sites of the Lyon metro and followed in the footsteps of holy history by visiting Israel. Several paintings were dedicated to Jerusalem. Once again, Jean Couty traveled to Sicily and then to Turkey in 1974.
In 1975, he exhibited at the Drouant Gallery in Paris. He then embarked on a long trip to the USSR. Couty is the winner of the Grand Prix des Peintres Témoins de leur Temps with the painting "Le Chantier du Métro" (The Metro Construction Site). An exhibition is held at the Katia Granoff Gallery.
It was in 1976 that Jean Couty traveled to Egypt. He accidentally burned his hand and couldn't paint for over a year. The following year, the Lyon Space for Contemporary Art (ELAC), created by Lyon art critics, organized a retrospective entitled "The Painter and the Format". Couty was presented there by Jean-Louis Maubant, alongside Hantaï and Fougeron. He traveled to Greece and Crete, and then in 1978, to Ivory Coast where he produced numerous drawings.
In 1979, the Museum of Modern Art of the city of Paris presented 41 paintings by Jean Couty from October 4th to November 11th. The catalogue was prefaced by Pierre Mazars and included a text by René Deroudille. Couty received the Medal of Honor from the Society for the Encouragement of Progress. A retrospective exhibition was organized at the Maison pour Tous in Annemasse in 1980. The exhibition then traveled to Ceylon (Sri Lanka). Couty donated the painting "Construction de l'auditorium" to the Museum of Modern Art of the city of Paris.
In 1981, he exhibited at the Granges gallery in Geneva and then at the Simiane castle in Valréas. In 1982, he took part in the group exhibition "Cent ans d'achats de la ville de Lyon" at the Elac. He traveled to the United States and Canada. Several large canvases were dedicated to New York at night.
In 1983, Jean Couty inherited René Chancrin's (1911-1981) chair at the Academy of Sciences, Literature, and Arts of Lyon. A drawing by Couty depicting the Palais Saint-Jean (the headquarters of the Academy) is now used as a design on the documents of the assembly. He also exhibits at the Katia Granoff Gallery.
In 1984, he exhibited at the town hall of La Croix-Rousse. He designed the cover of the diocesan weekly magazine L'Essor du Rhône (issue 1956 from April 20). The painter chose the theme of Easter. He depicted Jesus triumphantly above an urban landscape. It was in 1986 that he exhibited at the Granoff gallery in Paris, and at the town hall of La Côte-Saint-André. He then traveled to Spain.
In 1987, Gilbert Carrère, Prefect of the Rhône-Alpes Region (and current president of the Friends of Jean Couty association), awarded Jean Couty the medal of Commander of Arts and Letters. A retrospective exhibition was hosted at La Malmaison (Champagne-au-Mont-d'Or) by the Léa and Napoléon Bullukian Foundation, highlighting the friendly ties that the artist and the patron have always maintained. The year 1988 was marked by trips to Hungary and Czechoslovakia.
He exhibited in 1989 at the Katia Granoff gallery on the theme of Cathedrals. He was the guest of honor at the Grotto Museum in Lourdes, where he was awarded the Painter of Light and Spirituality Prize. He participated in a collective exhibition in Japan in the cities of Tokyo, Osaka, Hiroshima, and Fukuoka. He also published a lithograph called "Le Beaujolais Nouveau." He also traveled to Belgium.
The following year, he offered Jacques Oudot, Deputy for Culture of the City of Lyon and Vice-President of the Rhône-Alpes Region in charge of Culture, Le Résistant for the Resistance and Deportation Museum of Lyon. He then exhibited at the Vasarely Foundation in Aix-en-Provence. A retrospective of his works was organized at the Maurice Ravel Auditorium from December 19, 1990, to February 10, 1991. Couty compiled in a monograph the texts of his writer and art critic friends. The realization was entrusted to Georges Daru and Alain Vavrot. An edition of a lithograph named Rochers was made under the yellow sun. Couty received the Prix du Groupe Paris-Lyon for the second time. In 1991, he participated in the International Biennial of Sacred Art in Lourdes.
On May 14, 1991, he passed away, three months after experiencing, as he himself admitted, the great joy of the retrospective mentioned above and titled: Sixty years of creations, which François Montmaneix had just dedicated to him at the Auditorium, as an official tribute from the City of Lyon.
(Biography extracted from Wikipedia)
