André Masson

(French, 1896–1987)

André Masson was a French artist whose work has been cited as the bridge between Surrealism and Abstract Expressionism. He was a noted proponent of automatic art, in which the hand is allowed to move freely across the canvas without a conscious plan in order to uncover thoughts and images from the subconscious mind. One such example, Automatic Drawing (1924), now hangs prominently in the permanent collection of The Museum of Modern Art in New York. Born on January 4, 1896 in Balagny-sur-Thérain, France, he studied at the Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts in Belgium, and was later wounded during World War I. During the Second World War, Masson fled to the United States and worked from a farmhouse in Connecticut. His work gradually attracted the attention of the art world in New York, and Jackson Pollock is rumored to have been inspired by Masson’s Pasiphae (1944) when it was shown at Buchholz Gallery in Manhattan in 1944. In 1976, Masson’s work was the subject of a retrospective at The Museum of Modern Art in New York. He died on October 28, 1987 in Paris, France.

Related Categories

Contemporary Art, Drawings and Works on Paper, Impressionist and Modern Art, Prints and Multiples, Surrealism

Related Artists

Georges Bataille, André Breton, Max Ernst, Roberto Matta, Joan Miró

Most Expensive Artwork Sold at Auction

Gradiva, 1939
Sold price: 3,125,579 USD

André Masson Artworks

Artworks for Sale &
Auction Results

André Masson (6,509 results)
L'Odyssee (portfolio of 12), 1978

André Masson

L'Odyssee (portfolio of 12), 1978

Sale Date: March 26, 2011

Auction Closed

Ohne Titel (3 works)

André Masson

Ohne Titel (3 works)

Sale Date: March 26, 2011

Auction Closed

Combat d'animaux, 1929

André Masson

Combat d'animaux, 1929

Sale Date: March 16, 2011

Auction Closed

Le prince iris from le Reve portfolio, 1975

André Masson

Le prince iris from le Reve portfolio, 1975

Sale Date: May 13, 2009

Auction Closed

Le Philosophe de papillon from le Reve..., 1975

André Masson

Le Philosophe de papillon from le Reve..., 1975

Sale Date: May 13, 2009

Auction Closed

Bacchanale from je Reve portfolio, 1975

André Masson

Bacchanale from je Reve portfolio, 1975

Sale Date: July 1, 2009

Auction Closed

Couple alchimique from je Reve portfolio, 1975

André Masson

Couple alchimique from je Reve portfolio, 1975

Sale Date: July 1, 2009

Auction Closed

Satan (from je Reve portfolio), 1975

André Masson

Satan (from je Reve portfolio), 1975

Sale Date: July 23, 2009

Auction Closed

Le Philosophe au papillon (from je Reve..., 1975

André Masson

Le Philosophe au papillon (from je Reve..., 1975

Sale Date: July 23, 2009

Auction Closed

La Naissance d'eve (from je Reve portfolio), 1975

André Masson

La Naissance d'eve (from je Reve portfolio), 1975

Sale Date: September 17, 2009

Auction Closed

Venise en fleurs from je Reve portfolio, 1975

André Masson

Venise en fleurs from je Reve portfolio, 1975

Sale Date: August 11, 2010

Auction Closed

Le Jésuve

André Masson

Le Jésuve

Sale Date: March 18, 2011

Auction Closed

La toilette du matin, 1947

André Masson

La toilette du matin, 1947

Sale Date: March 18, 2011

Auction Closed

Étreinte, 1944–1945

André Masson

Étreinte, 1944–1945

Sale Date: March 23, 2011

Auction Closed

Le pont (De Blois), 1946

André Masson

Le pont (De Blois), 1946

Sale Date: March 23, 2011

Auction Closed

Bouquet de fleurs, 1951–1952

André Masson

Bouquet de fleurs, 1951–1952

Sale Date: March 7, 2011

Auction Closed

Paysage souterrain, 1964

André Masson

Paysage souterrain, 1964

Sale Date: March 4, 2011

Auction Closed

Une étoile de Craie (portfolio of 16 w/text..., 1973

André Masson

Une étoile de Craie (portfolio of 16 w/text..., 1973

Sale Date: March 3, 2011

Auction Closed

Le mort (set of 9), 1964

André Masson

Le mort (set of 9), 1964

Sale Date: March 3, 2011

Auction Closed

Femme attaqué par des oiseaux (from..., 1947

André Masson

Femme attaqué par des oiseaux (from..., 1947

Sale Date: March 3, 2011

Auction Closed

Ombre d'oiseaux, 1962

André Masson

Ombre d'oiseaux, 1962

Sale Date: March 7, 2011

Auction Closed

Three nudes (+ Untitled, lrgr; 2 works), 1950

André Masson

Three nudes (+ Untitled, lrgr; 2 works), 1950

Sale Date: February 14, 2011

Auction Closed

Les trois elements, 1962

André Masson

Les trois elements, 1962

Sale Date: June 26, 2010

Auction Closed

Metamorfosi, 1958

André Masson

Metamorfosi, 1958

Sale Date: June 26, 2010

Auction Closed

English (US)

©2024 Artnet Worldwide Corporation. All rights reserved.