Henri LAURENS 1885-1954

Henri Laurens (1885-1954) is one of the major figures of twentieth‑century sculpture, whose work both accompanied and renewed the adventure of Cubism.

Born in Paris into a modest family, he began as a stone‑carving artisan before joining, in 1911, the Montparnasse circle, where he met Braque, Picasso and Gris. Laurens quickly adopted the cubist language, which he transposed into sculpture with rare audacity, exploring fragmented volumes, interlocking planes and architectonic forms.

From the 1920s onward, his style softened: the female figures became more rounded, more sensual, announcing a period of maturity in which monumentality was joined to grace. He also worked in engraving, collage and illustration, collaborating with poets and publishers of his time. Settled in Boulogne‑sur‑Seine, he developed a prolific body of work marked by a constant search for balance between abstraction and lyricism. Laurens took part in numerous international exhibitions and became one of the most respected sculptors of the postwar period.

He died in 1954, leaving behind a major œuvre, present in the world's greatest museums and regarded as one of the essential contributions to modern sculpture.