Les buveurs (the drinkers)
Aubusson tapestry woven by the Tabard workshop.
1944.
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Lurçat approached Saint-Saëns, originally a painter of murals, in 1940. And during the war the latter produced the first of his allegorical masterpieces, tapestries reflecting indignation, combat, resistance : “les Vierges folles (the foolish virgins), “Thésée et le Minotaure” (Theseus and the Minotaur). At the end of the war, as a natural development he joined up with Lurçat, whose convictions he shared (concerning a simplified palette, outlined cartoons with colours indicated by pre-ordained numbers, and the specific nature of tapestry design...) at the A.P.C.T. (Association des Peintres-cartonniers de Tapisserie). His universe, where the human figure, stretched, elongated, ooccupies an important place (particularly when compared to his companions Lurçat or Picart le Doux), pivots around traditional themes : woman, the Commedia dell’arte, Greek mythology... refined by the brilliance of the colours and the simplification of the layout. His work would evolve later, in the 1960’s, towards cartoons of a more lyrical design, almost abstract where elemental and cosmic forces would dominate. “The original copy of Les Buveurs (The Drinkers) was commissioned by a friend of the artist.. The cartoon of Les Buveurs, of which 8 copies were produced kept recurring like a rotten apple in the correspondance between Tabard and Saint-Saëns, because of the cost of the weaving. Les Buveurs reflects a solid joie de vivre and can be seen as one more emanation of the rich theme of the vine and the Seasons ...” (Exhibition catalogue Marc Saint-Saëns, tapisseries, 1935-1979, Angers, p.26). The thematic contrast with the artist’s previous cartoons is striking : Orion, Thésée, les vierges folles, ... The lightness of touch found here will also be found in Le Braconnier (The Poacher) or Le Bouquet (The bouquet). A copy of this tapestry figured in the 1946 exhibition at the Musée National d’Art Moderne “La Tapisserie française du moyen-âge à nos jours” (n°297) Bibliography : Jean Lurçat, Tapisserie Française, Bordas, 1947, ill. pl.42 Exhibition catalogue Saint-Saëns, galerie La Demeure, 1970 Exhibition catalogue Saint-Saëns, the tapestries, Aubusson, Musée départemental de la Tapisserie, 1987 Exhibition catalogue Marc Saint-Saëns, tapestries, 1935-1979, Angers, Musée Jean Lurçat et de la Tapisserie Contemporaine 1997-1998, ill. p.26 Exhibition catalogue Tissages d’ateliers, tissages d’artistes, dix ans d’enrichissement des collections, Angers, Musée Jean Lurçat et de la Tapisserie Contemporaine, 2004, ill. p.85
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Sirocco
Despite considering herself first and foremost a sculptor, Hedva Ser also produced some cartoons, woven at the Four workshop in Aubusson, which evoke atmospheric scenes (there are also “Esterel”, “Pampa”, “Océan”...), where clouds, reflections, waves and dunes... are represented by the effective use of different threads and stitches.Aubusson tapestry woven by the Four workshop. N°2/6. Circa 1990.
