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Abstraction by Jean LeFébure

Artwork by Jean LeFébure, Abstraction

Jean LeFébure
Abstraction

oil on canvas
signed and dated 1960 lower right
23.5 x 32 ins ( 59.7 x 81.3 cms )

Auction Estimate: $10,000.00$8,000.00 - $10,000.00

Price Realized $5,900.00
Sale date: May 29th 2018

Provenance:
Private Collection, Montreal
Jean LeFébure was one of youngest artists associated with the Quebec post-war abstract movements. In 1949 he studied at the École de Beaux-Arts under Paul-Émile Borduas. Three years later, at age twenty-two, LeFébure exhibited with Borduas and his contemporaries, including Marcel Barbeau, Jean-Paul Mousseau, Marcelle Ferron and Jean-Paul Riopelle. He lived in Paris from 1952 until 1963 where he was part of a lively community of Canadian and French artists. In Abstraction the influence of Borduas’ black and white palette and impasto technique is evident. Painted in 1960, the year Borduas passed away, “Abstraction” recalls his tactile paintings of the late 1950s with wide, heavily applied pigment.

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Jean LeFébure
(1930 - 2013)

HighlightsWatch Artist

Born in Montreal, P.Q., he studied at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts (1949) under Paul Emile Borduas (1949-1952). From 1950-52 he exhibited in group shows with Borduas, Ferron, Mousseau, Barbeau and others. He then studied in Paris (1952) at the Academie Ranson with Henri Goetz. He spent six months visiting exhibitions of art and then travelled to Spain where he lived in a small fishing village near a beach. There, he came in contact with gypsies who invited him to accompany them on many trips and gatherings.

He completed a number of paintings which he exhibited in Madrid through the assistance of Camilo Jose Cela, a member of the Royal Society of Spain. He returned to Paris where he was taken by his teacher Henri Goetz to the Cote d'Azure to meet Picasso and Pignon. Back in Paris, he married a french girl from Periord and they owned and operated a bookstore. He continued to paint during his slack moments. After their first child they sold the store and moves into a large house in the heart of the Latin Quarter of Paris.

In 1958, he was awarded a large contract to design the colour scheme for a large factory and this led to other jobs. He also participated in the Salon des Réalités Nouvelles, Paris, 1954; group show at Iris Clert gallery, Paris, 1955; solo show at Cannes, 1961; Galerie Arditti, Paris, 1962; Galleries Levi, Milan, 1962; Galerie Semia Huber, Zurick, Germany, 1962; Festival at Spoleto, Italy, 1962; La Galerie Soixante, Montreal, 1963, 1965. There is must in Jean Le Febure's work which reminds one of canvases of Paul-Emile Borduas.

He is represented in the collections of the Musee d’Art Contemporain, Montreal, Musee d’art de Joliette, PQ, Musee national des beaux-arts du Quebec and many private collections.

He taught at Laval University and CEGEP St-Laurent for twenty years finally retiring to the country in the Eastern Townships. Jean Lefebure died peacefully in Montreal March 21, 2013

Source: "A Dictionary of Canadian Artists, Volume I: A-F", compiled by Colin S. MacDonald, Canadian Paperbacks Publishing Ltd, Ottawa, 1977