Timeline

Born in Ardeche, Le Moal enrolled at the École des Arts Decoratifs de Paris in 1929, and shared a studio with Roger Bissiere, and Alfred Manessier. He also attended the Académie Ranson, and began to exhibit at the Salon des Jeunes Artistes, and the Salon d’Automne. In 1937 he contributed to the Exposition Universelle de Paris, and in 1939 he worked on the 1400sq.meter ceiling of the French Pavilion at the International Exhibition in New York. In 1942 he exhibited in Peintures de la Tradition Française, with Le Moal, Bazaine, Manessier, Singier, Pignon, Gischia; and in 1943 Douze Peintres D’Aujourd’hui at Galerie de France.

In the post-war years Le Moal became established as a prominent figure in European painting. In 1945 he was a founding member of the Salon de Mai. He exhibited throughout Europe and internationally, notably La Jeune Peinture Français, Palais des Beaux Arts, Brussels, 1945; Exposition d’Art Contemporain, Berne, 1946; Peinture Française d’Aujourd’hui, Rome 1946; Trois Peintres, Galerie Drouin, Paris, with Manessier and Singier, 1946; Galerie Springer, Berlin, 1947; Artistes Français Contemporain, 1938-48 Stockholm, 1949; Peinture Française, Santiago du Chili, 1950; Galerie Billiet-Caputo, Paris, 1950; Japan, 1951; L’École de Paris, 1900-1950, London, 1951; La Nouvelle École de Paris, Galerie de Babylon, Paris, 1952; Buenos Aires, 1954; Stockholm, Copenhagen, Geneva, 1955; École de Paris, Galerie Charpentier, Paris, 1954, 1956, 1957, 1958; Tokyo, 1960; Tate Gallery, London, 1962; Munich, 1963. He was also awarded the Prix de la Critique in 1953.

Several retrospectives have been dedicated to Le Moal’s work, including at Musée de Lubeck, 1961; Musée de Wuppertal, 1961; Musée de Metz, 1963; Musée de la Ville de Luxembourg, 1961; Musée de Caen, 1971, Musée de Lille, 1971.

The artist’s work is represented in many museums including the Musée Nationale d’Art Moderne, Paris; Tate Modern Gallery, London; Museum of Modern Art, Wellington, New Zealand; Museum of Modern Art, Mexico, Modern Art Mueum of Luxembourg; Onstad Museum, Norway; Museo de Arte, Chilli; Musée d’Art Contemporain, Yugoslavia; Musée de Turin, Italy.