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)
Voracité, 1947

André Masson

Voracité, 1947

Sale Date: October 24, 2014

Auction Closed

La chute (Le viol ou l'amour de la vitesse), 1939

André Masson

La chute (Le viol ou l'amour de la vitesse), 1939

Sale Date: October 23, 2014

Auction Closed

Limbe (bk by Édith Boissonnas w/2 works)

André Masson

Limbe (bk by Édith Boissonnas w/2 works)

Sale Date: October 28, 2014

Auction Closed

Les Conquérants (bk by André Malraux w/33 works,

André Masson

Les Conquérants (bk by André Malraux w/33 works,

Sale Date: October 28, 2014

Auction Closed

Femme feuille, 1943

André Masson

Femme feuille, 1943

Sale Date: October 21, 2014

Auction Closed

Pas de maïs en espalier, 1944–1945

André Masson

Pas de maïs en espalier, 1944–1945

Sale Date: October 21, 2014

Auction Closed

Pour le combat legendaire, 1943

André Masson

Pour le combat legendaire, 1943

Sale Date: October 21, 2014

Auction Closed

L'Amour, 1967

André Masson

L'Amour, 1967

Sale Date: September 25, 2014

Auction Closed

Composizione (1936-1938)

André Masson

Composizione (1936-1938)

Sale Date: October 12, 2014

Auction Closed

Figura distesa

André Masson

Figura distesa

Sale Date: October 12, 2014

Auction Closed

Le Colleone / au Théatre de Marcellus 1953..., 1952

André Masson

Le Colleone / au Théatre de Marcellus 1953..., 1952

Sale Date: September 27, 2014

Auction Closed

Voyage à Venise (portfolio with complete..., 1952

André Masson

Voyage à Venise (portfolio with complete..., 1952

Sale Date: September 24, 2014

Auction Closed

Hesperide * Le Couple (2 works), 1947

André Masson

Hesperide * Le Couple (2 works), 1947

Sale Date: September 24, 2014

Auction Closed

Emblem, 1942

André Masson

Emblem, 1942

Sale Date: September 24, 2014

Auction Closed

Volatiles

André Masson

Volatiles

Sale Date: September 13, 2014

Auction Closed

Dévoration

André Masson

Dévoration

Sale Date: May 31, 2014

Auction Closed

Les baigneuses

André Masson

Les baigneuses

Sale Date: July 26, 2014

Auction Closed

Personnage

André Masson

Personnage

Sale Date: July 3, 2014

Auction Closed

L'Ombre et la proie, 1930

André Masson

L'Ombre et la proie, 1930

Sale Date: July 3, 2014

Auction Closed

La main de Neptune XV, 1946

André Masson

La main de Neptune XV, 1946

Sale Date: July 3, 2014

Auction Closed

Je Rêve (portfolio of 10 w/title, justif. &..., 1975

André Masson

Je Rêve (portfolio of 10 w/title, justif. &..., 1975

Sale Date: July 15, 2014

Auction Closed

Chants d'Ombre (album of 10 w/title & text..., 1976

André Masson

Chants d'Ombre (album of 10 w/title & text..., 1976

Sale Date: July 15, 2014

Auction Closed

Groupe des Femmes

André Masson

Groupe des Femmes

Sale Date: June 24, 2014

Auction Closed

Chute du Reveur, 1973

André Masson

Chute du Reveur, 1973

Sale Date: June 27, 2014

Auction Closed

English (US)

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