Monday, May 26, 2014

Memorial Day - Remembering Duchamp-Villon and Henri Doucet

Raymond Duchamp-Villon (1876-1918), Horse, 1914

The second of the Duchamp siblings - Jacques Villon (born Émile Méry Gaston Duchamp, 1875-1963), Marcel Duchamp (1887-1968) and Suzanne Duchamp (1889-1963) -  Raymond Duchamp-Villon was born on November 5, 1876.  He is best known for his participation in the Cubist movement as one of its leading sculptors.  During World War I, he volunteered to serve as an auxiliary doctor (he had completed two years of medical school and dropped out after he fell ill from rheumatic fever).  In late 1916, he contracted typhoid fever and eventually succumbed on October 9, 1918. 


Henri Doucet, Blanche Albane, 1908

Born on December 16, 1883, Henri Doucet had a promising career as a member of the burgeoning Cubist movement that grew out of the abbaye de Créteil group (Georges Duhamel, Charles Vildrac, Albert Gleizes, Jean Metzinger, etc.). The actress Blanche Albane was married to Duhamel. Doucet was also friends with Amedeo Modiglilani and introduced the Italian artist to Dr. Paul Alexandre, his first patron. When the Great War broke out, Doucet enlisted with his friend Vildrac.  He was killed at Hooge, on March 4 or 5, 1915.

Best wishes for the Memorial Day Weekend,
Beth New York

Aka
Director
New York Arts Exchange
www.nyarts-exchange.com 

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