André Minaux French, 1923-1986

André Minaux was born in Paris in 1923 and studied at the École des Arts Décoratifs from 1941 to 1944 under the painter Maurice Brianchon. By the late 1940s he had begun exhibiting regularly at the Salon d’Automne and also showed with the post-war group Homme-Témoin in 1949 and 1950. In 1949 he participated in the Salon des Moins de Trente Ans, where he was awarded the Prix de la Critique.

Recognition came quickly during the early 1950s. The Musée d’Art Moderne in Paris acquired one of his paintings in 1950, followed by his first solo exhibition at Galerie Bernier in 1951. During this productive period Minaux also took part in the Venice Biennale in 1952 and soon after exhibited in London at both the Adams Gallery and the Redfern Gallery.

Around this time, the Tate Gallery acquired one of his works for its permanent collection. Throughout the rest of his career, Minaux continued to exhibit extensively in Paris and across France, as well as internationally in cities including New York, Amsterdam, Brussels, Montreal, Toronto, and Tokyo.

His earlier paintings were rooted in a return to realism, often characterised by restrained compositions and dark, earthy tones. From the 1960s onwards, however, his style evolved towards a more expressive and stylised approach, incorporating brighter colour, abstraction, and increasingly experimental techniques.

André Minaux died in 1986.