François Pompon: Sculptor Who Loved Animals

This is the catalog for the first large-scale retrospective exhibition of François Pompon in Japan. It offers a comprehensive overview of the work of sculptor François Pompon, who created groundbreaking animal sculptures in France during the first half of the 20th century.

Pompon, who gained experience as Rodin's under-sculptor, boldly simplified forms based on his observations of animals, establishing a unique sculptural expression that combined vitality with refinement. The catalog includes his representative work "Polar Bear," as well as other animal sculptures such as "Brown Bear," "Wild Boar," and "Stag," along with early figure sculptures, plaster prototypes, drawings, and other materials, all accompanied by abundant illustrations.

It was published in conjunction with Pompon's first retrospective exhibition in Japan, which toured the Kyoto City KYOCERA Museum of Art, Nagoya City Art Museum, and Gunma Museum of Art, Tatebayashi from 2021 to 2022. In addition to commentaries on the works and essays, it also introduces atelier materials and cherished possessions, allowing readers to experience the charm of Pompon's art, born from his deep observation and affection for animals.

[Title] François Pompon: The Sculptor Who Loved Animals
[Publisher] Art Design Research Institute
[Publication Date] 2021
[Page Count] 108 pages
[Size] Approx. 211*200*9mm / 410g
[Format] Softcover
[Language] Japanese
[Title Reading] FURANSOWA PONPON TEN DOUBUTSU WO AISHITA CHOUKOKUKA
[Author/Editor] Miki Imai (Osaka Institute of Technology) / Editor, Katsunori Fukaya (Nagoya City Art Museum) / Editor, Yukiko Mihara (Art Design Research Institute) / Editor
[Printing] KOSOKU OFFSET / Printing
[ISBN] None
[Condition] Used [5] Good (Slight crease on spine, slight tanning on top edge)
[Accessories] None
[Featured in] -
[Related Exhibition] François Pompon: The Sculptor Who Loved Animals
Kyoto City KYOCERA Museum of Art
July 10 - September 5, 2021

Nagoya City Art Museum
September 18 - November 14, 2021

Gunma Museum of Art, Tatebayashi
November 23, 2021 - January 26, 2022

François Pompon (1855-1933)

Born in Saulieu, Burgundy, France. Sculptor.

He began working as a stonemason at a young age, then studied sculpture in Paris. He honed his skills while working as an assistant in the studios of Auguste Rodin and René de Saint-Marceaux.

After the 1900s, he devoted himself to animal sculpture. He established a unique style that simplified forms based on thorough observation and gained international recognition with "Polar Bear," exhibited at the Salon d'Automne in 1922.

His works, which expressed the mass and movement of animals with minimal forms, indicated a new direction for modern sculpture and significantly influenced Art Deco art.

Representative works include "Polar Bear," "Brown Bear," "Wild Boar," "Stag," "Dove," and "Flamingo."

Major collections include the Musée d'Orsay, Musée des Beaux-Arts de Dijon, Musée François Pompon, and Gunma Museum of Art, Tatebayashi.

< Related Figures >

Auguste Rodin, Antoine-Louis Barye, Rembrandt Bugatti, Aristide Maillol