Pierre Roy was born in 1880 in Nantes, France. He was a painter, illustrator, and designer. Roy was the oldest of four children, all of whom became amateur painters. This artistic influence on the children is believed to have come from the family’s close ties to the writer Jules Verne.
Before Roy dedicated himself to painting he worked at an architecture firm as a draughtsman. This precise work may have helped the artist with developing his technical ability.
In 1905 Roy decided to dedicate himself solely to painting and joined a painters collective known as Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts (SNBA). Through the SNBA, Roy exhibited his work at least 4 times at Société des Artistes Indépendants.
In the early stages of his career, Roy’s work fell into the neo-impressionist category. Around 1920 he was introduced to the work of Giorgio de Chirico. This influence led Roy to begin moving towards his surrealist style for which he is most well-known. Roy’s style of surrealism involves the juxtaposition of everyday objects in unlikely arrangements resulting in poetic compositions.
In 1925, Roy’s work was part of the first exhibition by surrealist painters. His art appeared alongside the works of Max Ernst and Pablo Picasso and led to his first solo exhibition in 1926.
Over his career, Roy enjoyed many exhibitions of his work all over the world. There were two exhibitions dedicated to his work in Paris, including at 1937’s World Fair. He exhibited five times in New York, with two exhibitions at the Brummer Gallery and one at the Museum of Modern Art. He also exhibited in London and Honolulu during this period.
Beyond painting, Roy also used his creativity and artistic talent for commercial use. He designed theatre and ballet sets as well as book illustrations using lithograph and woodcut techniques. This included several covers for Vogue Magazine and various advertising posters.
1. Proue De Naivre at Papillons
‘Proue de naivre et papillons’ was created in 1925 by Pierre Roy in Surrealism style.
2. Le Grand Bateau
Le Grand Bateau was made in the year 1927 by Pieere Roy with a Magic Realism and surrealism style.
3. A Naturalist’s Study
‘A Naturalist’s Study’, Pierre Roy, 1928 Like several of the Surrealists, with whom he exhibited in 1925.
4. La Femme Peintre
‘La femme peintre’ was created in 1931 by Pierre Roy in Magic Realism style.
5. Le Chou Fleur
Le Chou Fleur was made in the year 1931 by the artist Pierre Roy showing vegetables cawliflower, onion and cloves of garlic with something that resembles a vegetable basket in the back.
6. La naissance de Vénus
La Naissance de Vénus was made in the year 1932 by Pierre Roy in a magic realism and surrealism style.
7. Danger On The Stairs
Danger on the stairs made in the year c.1927 – c.1928 in surrealism style shows as the name suggest ‘danger on the stairs’ showing a deadly snake coming down the stairs of a house.
8. Still Life with Bottles and Breton Bonnets
The Still Life with Bottles and Breton Bonnets was made in the year 1924 by Pierre Roy in surrealism style.
9. La Fortune au Repos
‘La Fortune au repos’ was created by Pierre Roy in Magic Realism style.
10. Andromède prisonnière
‘Andromède prisonnière’ was created in Magic Realism style by Pierre Roy in the year 1930.
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