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Hans HartungFrench artist of the School of Paris, originally from Germany.
Date of Birth: 21.09.1904
Country:  France |
Content:
- Hans Hartung: A Life of Art, Exile, and Accolades
- Artistic Education and French Influence
- Exile and War
- Post-War Recognition and Success
- Late Accolades and Legacy
Hans Hartung: A Life of Art, Exile, and Accolades
Early Life and Artistic InfluencesHans Hartung was born in Leipzig, Germany in 1904, to a father who was a doctor, musician, and self-taught artist. In 1912, the family moved to Basel, where Hartung became fascinated with photography. He later studied in Dresden, where he immersed himself in works by Rembrandt, Goya, El Greco, and German and Austrian expressionists such as Kokoschka and Nolde. By 1922, his watercolor works exhibited abstract elements.
Artistic Education and French Influence
From 1924 to 1925, Hartung studied philosophy and art history in Leipzig. He then attended the Academy of Fine Arts in Dresden, where he discovered Impressionism and Cubism. He lived in Paris until 1931, absorbing the influences of these artistic movements.
Exile and War
In 1934, Hartung settled in Paris and established connections with Wassily Kandinsky, Piet Mondrian, Joan Miró, and Alexander Calder. His painting style evolved towards Tachism, a precursor to Abstract Expressionism. Financial difficulties led him to work in the studio of sculptor Julio González, whose daughter he eventually married.
During World War II, Hartung enlisted in the Foreign Legion and fought in North Africa. After being demobilized, he escaped occupied France in 1943 and sought refuge in Spain. However, he was arrested and spent seven months in a French concentration camp. He then re-joined the Foreign Legion and was severely wounded in November 1944, losing his right leg.
Post-War Recognition and Success
Returning to Paris in 1946, Hartung obtained French citizenship and received the Croix de Guerre and the Légion d'honneur. His post-war exhibitions gained critical attention, and in 1947, Alain Resnais released a documentary film about him entitled "Visit to Hans Hartung."
Hartung befriended Georges Mathieu, Pierre Soulages, and Mark Rothko and became a leading figure in the Informel movement. Major retrospectives of his work were held in Basel (1952), Berlin (1956), Paris (1960), and numerous other cities worldwide.
Late Accolades and Legacy
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Hartung's retrospectives continued to garner acclaim. He was elected to the Academy of Fine Arts of the Institut de France in 1977 and received the Kokoschka Prize in 1981, becoming the first recipient of this prestigious award. Permanent halls dedicated to his work were established in major museums in Munich and Darmstadt.
Hartung's art and life were celebrated in the 1989 film "Song of Creation: The Artist Pablo Picasso." His legacy as a groundbreaking artist who transcended boundaries and influenced generations of painters endures to this day.
