Amedee Ozenfant

Key facts

Lived

1886–1966, French^[1]

Movements

• Cubism
• purism

^[1]

Works held in

23 museums

Wikipedia

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• What is Amedee Ozenfant known for?+

  Amédée Ozenfant is known for Purism, an art movement he launched in partnership with Le Corbusier. He is also known for paintings that reduced the still life to spare, planar arrangements of bottles and glasses, cool in execution and geometric in form; Guitar and Bottles and Still Life remain the defining works of his career.
• What is Amedee Ozenfant's most famous work?+

  Although it is difficult to name one single most famous work, Ozenfant's paintings from around 1920^[1] are among his best-known. In that year, he painted at least three versions of *Still Life*. One version is now held in the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice. Another is in the collection of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum (SRGM) in New York; this one is also known as *Nature morte* or *L'Esprit Nouveau [2]* and was purchased directly from the artist in 1955. The location of the third version of *Still Life* is unknown. These paintings typify the Purist aesthetic that Ozenfant developed with Charles-Edouard Jeanneret (Le Corbusier). Ozenfant and Le Corbusier published the journal *L'Esprit Nouveau* from 1920 to 1925, the same year that Ozenfant and Léger opened a studio in Paris. Ozenfant's theories on art were published in his book *Art* in 1928; the English edition, *The Foundations of Modern Art*, appeared in 1931.
• What should I know about Amedee Ozenfant's prints?+

  Amédée Ozenfant (born in Saint-Quentin, France, 1886^[1]; died in Cannes, 1966^[1]) was a painter and theorist associated with Purism. He began painting at age fourteen, later studying at the École Municipale de Dessin Quentin-La Tour, and then in Paris. His first solo exhibition occurred in 1908^[1], and he exhibited at the Salon d'Automne in 1910 and the Salon des Indépendants in 1911. From 1909 to 1913, he travelled in Europe and attended lectures in Paris. In 1915, Ozenfant founded the magazine L'Élan, where he began formulating his Purist theories. He met Le Corbusier in 1917, and they published *Après le Cubisme*, articulating Purism. Ozenfant and Le Corbusier collaborated on the journal *L'Esprit Nouveau* from 1920 to 1925. Ozenfant participated in the second Purist exhibition at the Galerie Druet, Paris, in 1921. He opened a studio in Paris with Léger in 1924, also teaching with Marie Laurencin and Alexandra Exter. Ozenfant's writings include *La Veinture moderne* (with Le Corbusier, 1925) and *Art* (1928; as *The Foundations of Modern Art* in English, 1931). His painting *Still Life* (1920) is also known as *Nature morte; 'L'Esprit Noiweau [2]'*. At least two other versions of the composition exist, also painted in 1920.
• What style or movement did Amedee Ozenfant belong to?+

  Amédée Ozenfant is best known as a founder of Purism. In 1917^[1], Ozenfant met Charles-Édouard Jeanneret (later known as Le Corbusier), and together they articulated Purism; their book *Après le Cubisme* was published in 1918. Ozenfant and Le Corbusier collaborated on the journal *L'Esprit Nouveau* from 1920 to 1925. Ozenfant participated in the first Purist exhibition at the Galerie Thomas in Paris in 1917, and in the second Purist exhibition at the Galerie Druet, also in Paris, in 1921. Purists viewed themselves as successors to the Cubists. They hoped to create a more positive, harmonious art that would lead the world to an epoch of order. They strove to bring forth a more crystalline art where clarity and objectivity would be of the essence. Like the artists who founded De Stijl and Constructivism, Ozenfant and Jeanneret advocated an art whose beauty would derive from functional efficiency and precision, an art that would engage the intellect.
• What techniques or materials did Amedee Ozenfant use?+

  Amédée Ozenfant was a painter, theorist, and writer. He is best known as the co-founder of Purism. This movement sought a return to clear, ordered forms in the aftermath of Cubism^[1]. Ozenfant favoured oil paint on canvas. He often depicted simplified, geometric objects. These included bottles, musical instruments, and carafes. These items reflected his belief in a universal, machine-age aesthetic. Purist works avoided surface decoration or painterly brushwork. Instead, they emphasised smooth surfaces and precise contours. In his later years, Ozenfant experimented with other media. He produced murals, and he taught art in London and New York. His theoretical writings, such as "Foundations of Modern Art" (1928^[1]), outlined his artistic principles. He advocated for a rational approach to art-making. He also promoted the idea of a shared visual language. This language, he believed, could transcend cultural boundaries.
• What was Amedee Ozenfant known for?+

  Amédée Ozenfant (1886^[1]-1966^[1]) was a French^[1] painter and theorist, best known as a founder of Purism. He began painting at fourteen, later studying in Paris at the Académie de la Palette. Around 1915^[1], Ozenfant began formulating his theories, publishing them in 1918 with Charles-Édouard Jeanneret (Le Corbusier) in *Après le Cubisme*. This publication coincided with the first Purist exhibition at the Galerie Thomas in Paris. Together, Ozenfant and Le Corbusier also produced the journal *L’Esprit Nouveau* from 1920 to 1925. Purism sought a return to order after Cubism^[1]. Ozenfant and Le Corbusier believed Cubism reflected a troubled art for a troubled time, and they aspired to create a more positive, harmonious art. Their aesthetic values had Classical foundations, and they aimed for clarity and objectivity. Like De Stijl and Constructivism, Purism advocated for beauty derived from functional efficiency and precision. Ozenfant opened a free studio in Paris with Léger in 1924, and he later taught in London and New York. His book *Art* was published in French in 1928, with an English edition appearing in 1931 as *The Foundations of Modern Art*.
• When did Amedee Ozenfant live and work?+

  Amédée Ozenfant was born on 15 April 1886^[1] in Saint-Quentin, France. At fourteen, he began painting. In 1904^[1], he attended the École Municipale de Dessin Quentin-La Tour in Saint-Quentin. The next year, Ozenfant moved to Paris, entering an architecture studio. He also studied painting with Charles Cottet at the Académie de la Palette, befriending Roger de La Fresnaye and André Dunoyer de Segonzac. Ozenfant's first solo exhibition occurred in 1908 at the Salon de la Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts in Paris. Around 1909 to 1913, he travelled to Russia, Italy, Belgium, and The Netherlands, attending lectures at the Collège de France in Paris. In 1915, Ozenfant founded the magazine L'Élan, which he edited until 1917, while formulating his Purist theories. From 1935 to 1938, he ran the Ozenfant Academy in London and taught at the French^[1] Institute. From 1939 to 1955, he taught at the Ozenfant School of Fine Arts in New York. Ozenfant remained in France for the rest of his life, and he died in Cannes on 4 May 1966^[1].
• Where can I see Amedee Ozenfant's work?+

  Amedee Ozenfant (1886^[1]-1966^[1]) was a French^[1] painter and theorist who co-founded Purism with Charles-Edouard Jeanneret (Le Corbusier). His works can be found in various museum collections. In France, several museums hold examples of his work. These include the Musée National d’Art Moderne, Centre Georges Pompidou; the Musée d’Orsay; and the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, all in Paris. Other French museums with Ozenfant paintings include the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Nancy, the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Nantes, and the Musée d’Art Moderne in Strasbourg. Outside France, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York holds at least one version of his 1920^[1] still life, "Guitar and Bottles". Another version is in the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice. The Arts Club of Chicago held a solo exhibition of his work in 1940.
• Where was Amedee Ozenfant from?+

  Amedee Ozenfant was born in Saint-Quentin, Aisne, France, on 15 April 1886^[1]. He began painting at the age of fourteen. In 1904^[1], he attended the Ecole Municipale de Dessin Quentin-La Tour in Saint-Quentin. The following year, Ozenfant moved to Paris, where he entered an architecture studio. He also studied painting with Charles Cottet at the Academie de la Palette, becoming friends with Roger de La Fresnaye and Andre Dunoyer de Segonzac. Ozenfant's first solo exhibition took place in 1908 at the Salon de la Societe Nationale des Beaux-Arts in Paris. From around 1909 to 1913, he travelled to Russia, Italy, Belgium, and The Netherlands, and he attended lectures at the College de France in Paris. In 1915, Ozenfant founded the magazine L'Elan, which he edited until 1917, while developing his Purist theories. He died in Cannes on 4 May 1966^[1].
• Who did Amedee Ozenfant influence?+

  Amedee Ozenfant (1886^[1]-1966^[1]) was a French^[1] painter and writer, who, along with Charles-Edouard Jeanneret (later known as Le Corbusier), developed Purism. This artistic movement rejected the ornamentation of Cubism^[1], favouring instead simplified forms and machine-age aesthetics. Ozenfant's influence is most clearly seen in the work of Le Corbusier. The two artists collaborated on the book *Après le Cubisme* (1918^[1]), which laid out the principles of Purism. They also jointly founded the journal *L'Esprit Nouveau*, which promoted their theories to a wider audience. Le Corbusier's architecture, with its emphasis on functionalism and clean lines, reflects the Purist aesthetic they developed together. While Ozenfant's direct impact on other artists is less documented, Purism itself had a broader effect on the development of abstract art and design in the 1920s and 1930s. His teachings, particularly during his time in London and later in New York, helped spread Purist ideas internationally. His book, *Foundations of Modern Art* (1928), further disseminated his artistic theories.
• Who influenced Amedee Ozenfant?+

  Amedee Ozenfant (1886^[1]-1966^[1]) was a French^[1] painter and theorist. He is best known as the co-founder of Purism. This artistic movement sought a return to clear, ordered forms after the First World War. Early in his career, Ozenfant was affected by Cubism^[1]. He attended the Académie de La Palette in Paris from 1907^[1] to 1908. There, he studied under artists who had connections to Cubism. These included Jacques-Émile Blanche, and Charles Cottet. Ozenfant's most significant influence was Juan Gris. He saw Gris's work at the 1911 Salon des Indépendants. The clarity and structure of Gris's Cubist paintings made a strong impression on him. Ozenfant felt that Gris had achieved a new level of classical form. Later, Ozenfant met Charles-Édouard Jeanneret (later known as Le Corbusier). Together, they developed Purism. They rejected the decorative aspects of Cubism. They favoured simple, geometric shapes and machine-made objects as subjects. Their shared aesthetic vision shaped Ozenfant's mature style.
• Who was Amedee Ozenfant?+

  Amédée Ozenfant (1886^[1]-1966^[1]) was a French^[1] painter and art theorist. Born in Saint-Quentin, France, he began painting at fourteen. He studied at the École Municipale de Dessin Quentin-La Tour, and later in Paris at the Académie de la Palette, befriending Roger de la Fresnaye and André Dunoyer de Segonzac. Ozenfant's initial solo exhibition occurred in 1908^[1] at the Salon de la Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts in Paris. He travelled extensively between 1909 and 1913, visiting Russia, Italy, Belgium, and the Netherlands. In 1915, he founded the magazine L'Élan, where he began developing his Purist theories. A significant moment came in 1917 when Ozenfant met Charles-Édouard Jeanneret (Le Corbusier). Together, they formalised Purism in their book Après le Cubisme. This coincided with the first Purist exhibition at the Galerie Thomas in Paris. They further collaborated on the journal L'Esprit Nouveau (1920-1925^[1]). Ozenfant participated in the second Purist exhibition at the Galerie Druet in 1921. In 1924, with Léger, he opened a free studio in Paris, teaching alongside Marie Laurencin and Alexandra Exter. Ozenfant also taught at the Académie Moderne (1929), and founded the Académie Ozenfant (1932). He operated the Ozenfant Academy in London from 1935 to 1938, and the Ozenfant School of Fine Arts in New York from 1939 to 1955. He died in Cannes in 1966.