Jean Bazaine is a major figure in post-war abstraction, the new School of Paris. It is part of non-figurative painting.

Born in 1904 in Paris, Jean Bazaine began his artistic training at the Académie Julian, with Paul Landowski. He began painting at the age of 20 and met key figures such as Pierre Bonnard and Jacques Villon. From then on, he built his own expression, where organic forms, movements and vibrant colors respond to each other.

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In 1941, he organized the exhibition “Twenty Young Painters of French Tradition”, where he exhibited alongside Alfred Manessier, Jean Bertholle, André Beaudin, François Beaudin, François Desnoyer and Jean Lasne. This group of artists then sought to offer an alternative to official art under the Occupation, defending lyrical abstraction.

The following year, his entry into the Louis Carré Gallery, alongside the painter Maurice Estève, marked a decisive turning point in his career.

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Alongside his work as a painter, Bazaine played an essential role in the reconstruction of monumental art in France after the war. Through numerous works, he participated in the creation of three stained glass windows for the church in Assy (Haute-Savoie), designed by the architect Maurice Novarina. In the 1960s, he also contributed to the creation of mosaics for emblematic buildings, such as in Paris, the UNESCO building and the Maison de la Radio.

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His recognition on the international artistic scene was confirmed by his participation in numerous group exhibitions, in particular the 26th Venice Biennale in 1952 and the first São Paulo Biennial in 1953. In 1964, he received the Grand Prix National des Arts, before collaborating with the master glassmaker Henri Déchanet to create the stained glass windows for the Saint-Séverin church in Paris. The following year, the National Museum of Modern Art in Paris devoted a major retrospective to him.

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A committed artist, he also uses his painting to humanitarian causes. In 1967, with Alexander Calder, he organized an exhibition/sale for the benefit of the Vietnamese Red Cross, thus affirming his commitment beyond the artistic field.

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Jean Bazaine's works are present in the biggest museums in the world:

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MoMA

- The Flame and the Diver (1953)

Pompidou Center — National Museum of Modern Art (Paris, France) :

- Landscape (1945) — Oil on canvas

-. Sea wind (1949) — Oil on canvas, 116.5 x 89.5 cm.

- Tree trunk (1952) — Oil on canvas.

- Chicago (1952) — Oil on canvas.

- The white cloud (1959) —Indian ink on paper, 31.5 x 22.5 cm

- Low tide (Saint-Guénolé) (1966) — Oil on canvas.

- Wind on the stones (1971) — Oil on canvas, 162 x 114.5 cm.

Museum of Fine Arts of Lyon

- Lightning (1977)

Fabre Museum (Montpellier)

- Untitled — Paint

Rennes Museum of Fine Arts

- The Rain (1959) — Painting

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Some of his monumental works (stained glass and mosaics):

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Notre-Dame-de-Toute-Grâce Church in Plateau d'Assy (Haute-Savoie)

Saint-Séverin Church (Paris, 5th arrondissement)

Saint-Gilles church in Bourg-la-Reine (Hauts-de-Seine)

Saint-Dominique Church (Paris, 14th arrondissement)

Saint-Étienne de Beauvais Church (Oise)

UNESCO building (Paris, 7th arrondissement)

- The Woman and the Bird (1958) — Large mural mosaic‍

Radio House (Paris, 16th arrondissement)

- Monumental mosaic (1963) — In the lobby

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