Maurice Savin (1894-1973)

Savin by Droucker - 1925

1894

Maurice Savin was born on 17 October in Moras in the Drôme in France.
His father is a medical doctor in Valence, where Maurice attends secondary school. Irresistibly drawn to the arts, Maurice enrols in the School of Decorative Arts in 1913.

1914

After being drafted, Savin spends the war in the “Chasseurs Alpins”. Twice wounded, he is discharged and gets the Iron Cross. Under the name of Jimmy Savin he works for several daily papers, many drawings and caricatures.

1921

First exhibition of paintings and drawings.

1923

Trials of woodcuts. Illustrations for “Refuges” by André Spire.

1924

Member of “Autumn Salon”

1927

Married Simone Gaudioz, whose strong character and support undoubtedly influence Savin as a person and artist.
He travels to many different parts of France and returns with numerous paintings and drawings. Exhibitions follow at the “Autumn Salon”, at Berthe Weil Gallery, and in the “Tuileries” and Gallery Druet.

1933

First experiments in ceramics and visit to the “Manufacture de Sèvres”.
Exhibition in the “Petit Palais”.

1936

Murals of the grand staircase in Montélimar city hall.

1941

First tapestries, he likes to employ the “haute lisse” method, natural colours and hand spun wool. From 1943 he produces several of these, many unique.

1943

Sculpted decorations on the furniture of Kohlmann.

1945

Lithographic illustrations in Olivier de Serres’s book “Escrits sur le vin”.

1948

Savin becomes “Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur”.
Visit to Egypt. Tapestry course. Exhibition in Alexandria.

1949

First medals ordered by the French Mint.
First exhibition in the gallery Drouant, leading to a longstanding friendship and collaboration,
Twelve tapestries for the “Gobelins”
Member of the “Société des Peintres Graveurs”.
Exhibition of woodcuts, etchings and engravings.
First trials of “grès” stoneware with the “Manufacture de Sèvres”.

1952

Grand Prix de Peinture de Sestri Levante.

1955

Retrospective exposition at the Museum of Valence.

1956

Murals for the Technical School of Monluçon.

1965

Grand Prix of “Salon des Peintres Témoins de leur Temps”.

Savin by Cornet

1967

Prize of Wildenstein Institute.

1968

Armand Lanoux publishes at Pierre Callier –Geneva- a remarkable and important biography : Savin or Golden Age.

1969

Grand retrospective exhibition at the “Palais de la Méditérranée” in Nice. 145 works: canvasses, lithographs, drawings, ceramics, medals and illustrated books.

1972

Savin donates his engraved works to the Museum in Romans.

1973

Maurice Savin dies in Paris.

1979

Museum of Modern Art in Paris honours him posthumously.

Savin wanted to try everything and show his best form in all fields of art.

Armand Lanoux says: “Savin’s oeuvre is rich. It comprises about 2500 paintings, 34 finished tapestries, more than 300 pieces of ceramics, 100 gravures and lithographs, 9 medals and some leaded glass windows”.

It is difficult to convey in a few lines the full richness of Savin’s life and works. We recommend the monograph of Armand Lanoux (Edition Cailler, Geneva), which gives an excellent portrait of Savin while paying due tribute to him as an artist.
Among those who have supported and admired Savin are: Marcel Sauvage, André Salmon, Jacques Laprade, Pierre Mac Orlan, Pierre Mazards, Forent Fels, Francis Carco, Fosca, and Pierre Palué – all have expressed great admiration for Savin’s talents.

His works have been exhibited in France and around the world, including museums in Tunis, Warwhaw, Faenza, Goeteborg, Stockholm, Montevideo, Oslo, Lausanne, Cairo and London….