Victor BRAUNER

Victor BRAUNER

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Victor BRAUNER (1903-1966). Of Jewish-Romanian descent, Brauner is a painter and sculptor of Surrealistic images. Expelled from Bucharest’s Fine Arts School for his non-conformist style, Brauner illustrates for revues before moving to Paris in 1930. By 1932, Brauner is officially part of the Surrealist movement and André Breton prefaces his 1934 exhibition. He paints his famous premonitory self-portrait in 1938, in which he loses an eye (Centre Georges Pompidou). During the war, Brauner joins the Surrealists in exile at Marseille and develops his wax technique. He participates in the International Surrealist Exhibition of 1947, organized by Breton and Duchamp. In 1948, Brauner discovers Sechehaye’s studies on schizophrenia, which will have a defining impact on his work. However, by siding with Chilean painter Roberto Matta, Brauner is finally excluded from the Surrealist group. Nevertheless, Brauner continuously exhibits his works in Europe, and is even chosen in his final years to represent France at the 1966 Venice Biennale.