bolto: The Valmier Rift

28.5.07

The Valmier Rift

Bolto's unpleasant experience with Georges Valmier (1885 - 1937), cubism's tragic figure, is already well known. Recently the artist was induced to explain the reason for the rift, which many historians cite as the reason for Valmier's unfortunate early death. He pointed to a reproduction of Valmier's "Cubist Still Life" of 1919 -- then extracted a dusty painting from the back of a storage room. The date of the latter, unquestionably the work of Bolto, was still clearly legible at bottom left: 1918. Bolto gave a meaningful shrug, then returned to his work.

Bolto's 'Composition 0301' (apparently signed and dated 1918)

Georges Valmier: 'Cubist Still Life' (signed and dated 1919)

Qui êtes-vous ?

Nom : Bolto

Lieu : Chartres and Paris, France

Alas! Bolto is no more! Following a period of extraordinary activity the artist died earlier this month at his Paris studio on the rue du Dragon. It is estimated that he was 105 years old. Bolto was born in either 1902 or 1904, probably in Russia, possibly in Paris or Vienna. He held passports from at least four countries including France, the U.K. and Egypt. Bolto was closely involved in the origins of cubism, and is known to have visited Picasso's Paris studio as early as 1908. Although he was active in many centers of modernism (including Zurich, Berlin, Vienna, London -- where he lived during World War II and where he became nearly fluent in the English language -- and New York) between 1918 and 1948, Paris remained his base throughout his nearly ten-decadelong career. For the record (and because the host site suggests otherwise), Bolto had no patience with astrology.

bolto

28.5.07

The Valmier Rift

0 Comments:

Qui êtes-vous ?

Previous Posts