José Fabri-Canti (Corsica, FR, 1916-1995)

Born Jozef Fabrikant in Nice, France José Fabri-Canti's parents were Russian revolutionary exiles. His engineer father was also a musician and his mother a sculptor. The artist began his career in Corsica, later studying at l’École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. (1938) In 1946 he was awarded the Premier Grand Prix de Rome, and was subsequently appointed to represent France at the International Exhibition of Sacred Art, (1950) together with Rouault, Maurice Denis and Chagall.

 

The artist was exhibited further in Switzerland; at the Musée Rath, Geneva (1954), in Lausanne, the Museum of Neuchâtel and the Musée du Locle (1956) and the Palais Exhibition in Zurich (1957). A retrospective exhibition mounted by the Museum Massena, Nice (1959) presented seventy-five paintings on loan from European and American private collectors.

 

The Swiss daily Neue Zürcher Zeitung wrote: “The life and work of Fabri-Canti are faithful reflections of the dual aspects of strength and gentleness that characterize his adopted country, which is Corsica.”

 

Recent Examples at Auction