Background
Lapicque was born in Theizé, Rhône, France, on October 6, 1898. He was the adopted son of a professor in General Physiology, Louis Lapicque, whose name he took.
Paris, France
University of Paris-Saclay.
Charles Lapicque with his works.
Charles Lapicque painting.
Lapicque was born in Theizé, Rhône, France, on October 6, 1898. He was the adopted son of a professor in General Physiology, Louis Lapicque, whose name he took.
Charles Lapicque spent his childhood in Epinal. In 1900 he visited Brittany (near Paimpol) for the first time, returning every summer for many years. He learned to play piano and violin. Beginning in 1909, Lapicque lived in Paris. During World War I he fought in the artillery.
The following year, he entered the École Centrale des Arts et Manufactures in Paris (now part of the University of Paris-Saclay), where he trained as an engineer. However, he continued to paint, producing his first landscapes in Caen in 1920. In addition to painting, he also practiced printing and sculpture. In 1921 he graduated from the university.
Lapicque started his career, working as an engineer for many years. However, he felt strongly drawn to art and dedicated himself to it on the weekends in particular. In 1928 Charles Lapicque turned not only to painting, but also studied printing techniques, and sculpture. The year 1929 saw his first individual exhibition at the Gallery Jeanne Bucher.
In 1935 Charles Lapicque met the two philosophers, who formed the beginning of the philosophical and esthetic observations by the artist: Gabriel Marcel and Jean Wahl. In 1937 he was asked to create five large wall designs for the Palais de la Découvert in Paris. In 1941 Lapicque took part in the group exhibition called "Vingt jeunes peintres de tradition francais" ("XX young painters of French tradition"), which was organized by Jean Bazaine. It was the first painting event from the modern age under the German occupation. In 1943 he visited Brittany one more time.
Lapicque was finally able to refuse of his job as an engineer when he signed a contract with the Gallery Louis Carré in 1943. Starting from that time, he dedicated himself fully to art and made many works, connected with the liberation of Paris. He travelled to Brittany again in 1945. Starting from 1954 Charles Lapicque travelled four times to Venice and painted the villas, their gardens, and church facades.
Later he extensively traveled all over Europe. He went on trips to Rome (1957), Greece (1963), Spain (1973), Holland (1974), Vézelay (1975), the castles of the Loire (1976), and Aix-en-Provence (1979). In his treatise "Essais sur l’espace, l’art et la destinée", published in 1958, Lapicque formulated the theory of his artistic works. During the period of 1969-1972, he produced sculptures made of metal and plastic, and also tapestries, engravings, lithographs.
French painter Charles Lapicque was one of the most original painters of the XXth century and an innovator, in particular in his use of color and space. He was a recipient of a number of awards. For his service during the First World War, he received the "Croix de Guerre" in 1918. His painting "La synthèse organique" won him the medal of honor from the 1937 Paris World Exhibition. In 1979, the artist was awarded the "Grand prix national de peinture". Charles and Aline Lapicque were posthumously awarded the title of Justes parmi les nations in August 2000 for hiding and protecting Jews during the Second World War. The recognition ceremony took place on June 5, 2001.
Today, his works are held in major collections throughout France, including the Musée d’Unterlinden, the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Quimper, and the Musée de Lorraine.
Nuit romaine
Espagne
Le Prisonnier
Le premier jour
L'orage sur Bréhât
Untitled
Le bal
Excelsior
Nuit sur la Lagune
Paysage de mer
Mère et enfant
Untitled
Les régates
Les Cap-Horniers
Oedipe
Rencontre dans la campagne
La Rencontre
Le Phare
Cimetière marin en Hollande
Le trieux a Lancerf
Le Pardon
Le tennis
Les deux mandarins
Lagune bretonne
Bateau sur la lagune, Venise
Printemps en Bretagne
Lagune bretonne
L'orage en mer
Avant L'orage
Composition
Untitled
Rochers et buissons près de la grève
Olympische Spiele Munchen
Untitled
Untitled
Avant le départ
Personnages colorés
L'homme et l'armure
Montagne en Haute Provence
Lion
Suzanne et les viellards
Jeanne d'Arc traversant la Loire
Ezechiel mesurant le temple
Campagne grecque
Mythologie marine
Paysage
Figure barbare
Rome
Ostie
L'hiver dans les bois
Paysage en Castille
La Matinée d'un seigneur
La Bugatti
En fuite
Le coup de foudre
Untitled
Le Mont Palatin
Désert
Manœuvres de nuit
Le Lion de L'Atlas
Tigre
Ferme en Bretagne
Moulin à Lanmodez
Quai à Venise
Charles Lapicque's wife, Aline Lapicque-Perrin, was the daughter of Jean Perrin, a French physicist.
