Alfred Manessier

(b Saint-Ouen, nr Amiens, 5 Dec 1911). French painter and decorative artist. His earliest training was at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts at Amiens. In 1929 he moved to Paris, where he registered to study architecture at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts, although he did not complete the course. He made copies of Old Master paintings at the Louvre and frequented the Acad?mies Libres. At the Acad?mie Ranson in 1935 he met Roger Bissi?re, who was teaching there, and became friendly with a small group of his students: Jean Le Moal (b 1909), Jean Bertholle (b 1909) and the sculptor Etienne-Martin. He exhibited for the first time with them in 1938 at the Galerie Breteau in Paris. In 1943 he went on a Trappist retreat and became a believer, an event that was to leave its mark on all his work. He executed several commissions for stained-glass windows for churches in France and abroad, in 1948-50 at the church at Br?seux, Doubs; in 1953 at the church of St-Pierre, Trinquetaille, Arles; in 1957 at the Chapel of Sainte-Th?r?se de l'Infant J?sus et de la Sainte Face, Hem, Nord (for which he also designed a Benediction cape and five chasubles in 1957 and 1958-9), and in All Saints church, Basle (1952).

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