Anton Prinner France/ Hungary , 1902-1983
One of the most enigmatic artists in France of the 20th century, Anton Prinner was born Anna Prinner in Budapest in 1902. Prinner studied at the Academy of Fine Arts of Budapest. He adopted a masculine identity and appearance upon his arrival in Paris in the 1920’s. There, Prinner studied occult sciences, esoteric doctrines and mystical philosophies.
Evolving in the Parisian avant-garde milieu, Prinner became a close friend to renowned artists such as Victor Brauner and Pablo Picasso, who affectionately gave him the nickname “Monsieur Madame” or “pic-vert” (woodpecker), because of his small stature.
Throughout his career, Prinner constantly changed styles and experimented with various techniques. He learned engraving at the Hayter workshop, starting his “constructivist” period from 1932 to 1937. While mainly devoting himself to sculpture, he produced graphic works that ranged from meticulous drawings of objects to very abstract window displays, passing through engravings influenced by Picasso. His “figurative” period started in 1937. His first two personal exhibitions took place in 1942 at Jeanne Bucher's and in 1945 at Pierre Loeb's.
During the occupation, he made pen drawings. After the war, he developed a passion for the Egyptian civilization and worked on the etching and chisel illustration of the Egyptian "Book of the Dead", as well as a series of bas-reliefs on the same theme. After 1950, Prinner settled for fifteen years in Vallauris, where he learned about ceramics.
Anton Prinner died in Paris in 1982.