Jean Carzou (Armenian: Ժան Գառզու, born in Aleppo; 1 January 1907 – 12 August 2000) was a French–Armenian artist, painter, and illustrator, whose work illustrated the novels of Ernest Hemingway and Albert Camus.[1][2]

Jean Carzou
Born(1907-01-01)1 January 1907
Aleppo, Aleppo Vilayet, Ottoman Empire
Died12 August 2000(2000-08-12) (aged 93)
NationalityArmenian
Carzou on a 2007 Armenian stamp

Life and career edit

Carzou was born Karnik Zouloumian (Armenian: Գառնիկ Զուլումեան) in Aleppo, Syria to an Armenian family. Carzou later created his name from the first syllables of his name and surname, and added a Parisian nickname, "Jean". He was educated in Cairo, Egypt before moving to Paris in 1924 to study architecture.[1]

He started working as a theater decorator but quickly realized he preferred drawing and painting. In 1938, more than a hundred exhibitions of his works were organized in Paris, in the French provinces and abroad. In 1949, he received the coveted Hallmark prize.[citation needed]

In 1952, he created costumes and sceneries for Les Indes Galantes of Rameau at the Opéra de Paris. He continued with Le Loup (1953) for "Les Ballets" of Roland Petit, Giselle (1954) and Athalie (1955) at the Opéra and "La Comédie française".

Carzou was elected a member of the Institut de France, Académie des beaux-arts, succeeding in the seat left vacant by the death of painter Jean Bouchaud in 1977. He was also awarded the National Order of Merit of France.[2]

A Carzou museum exists in the town of Dinard (Brittany).[citation needed]

Collections edit

Carzou's work is held in the permanent collections of several institutions, including the Hermitage Museum,[3] the University of Michigan Museum of Art,[4] the Art Institute of Chicago,[5] the Mount Holyoke College Art Museum,[6] and the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco.[7]

Awards edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b Jean Carzou Artnet.
  2. ^ a b c "Jean Carzou -- Painter and Illustrator, 93". The New York Times. 24 August 2000.
  3. ^ "Communication II".
  4. ^ "Exchange: Voeux de l'Artiste Pour 1953". exchange.umma.umich.edu. Retrieved 11 May 2021.
  5. ^ Carzou, Jean Marie. "Untitled (Landscape with Buildings, Mountains, Implements and People)". The Art Institute of Chicago. Retrieved 11 May 2021.
  6. ^ "La guerre et l'amour".
  7. ^ "Jean Carzou". FAMSF Search the Collections. 21 September 2018. Retrieved 11 May 2021.