Eve Tanguy French artist Country: France

Biography of Yves Tanguy

Yves Tanguy, a French artist, was born in 1900 in Brittany, France. In his youth, he served in the merchant navy and was later drafted into the army during World War I. After the war, he pursued various professions before discovering his passion for art. Tanguy never received any formal art education, but his desire to become an artist was sparked in 1923 when he saw the paintings of Giorgio de Chirico. Introduced to the circle of surrealists by his friend, poet Jacques Prévert, Tanguy's childhood and youthful experiences with the sea had a significant influence on his artistic style.

Tanguy's paintings often incorporated amoeba-like forms, marine and amphibious creatures, and flowing lines and contours resembling smoke, clouds, water ripples, and shimmering light. One of his earliest notable works is "Mama, Papa is Wounded!" (1927, Museum of Modern Art, New York). According to art historian James Thrall Soby, the emotional title of this painting was inspired by a real story of psychiatric illness. "The incomprehensible phallic object on the right possibly represents the father, emitting a gray cloud, similar to some wounded sea creatures. The mother is depicted as a green figure, and in the center, there is a mobile baby in the form of a bean-like object" (Simon Wilson, "Surrealist Painting," 1975).

Tanguy continued to paint romantic seascapes throughout his life, achieving interesting coloristic results. In 1946, he emigrated to the United States. During the post-war years, Tanguy frequently exhibited his works alongside other surrealist artists. He passed away in 1955, and later that same year, a grand retrospective of his paintings took place in New York.