André Masson

André-Aimé-René Masson

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Born Jan 04, 1896

Balagny-sur-Thérain, France

Passed Away Oct 28, 1987 Paris, France

Lifespan 91 years old

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Notice / Correction

"The first line must be drawn without conscious intention, born purely from the rhythm of the hand."

Archival Overview

French painter and graphic artist who pioneered automatic drawing in Surrealism and whose sand paintings and expressive gestures directly inspired American Abstract Expressionism.

Biographical Record

Deeply traumatized by horrific physical and mental wounds suffered in the trenches of World War I, André Masson joined the Surrealist movement in 1924. Seeking to bypass conscious control, he pioneered pure psychic automatism—letting his pen wander freely across the page to unleash the subconscious before elaborating on emerging forms.

Masson invented 'sand paintings' in 1926 by tossing glue and colored earth onto canvas, creating raw, tactile surfaces. Exiled in the United States during World War II, his gestural spontaneity and mythic violence directly ignited the creative breakthrough of Jackson Pollock and the New York School.

Key Life Milestones

1924

Invention of Automatic Drawing

Pioneered psychic automatism with pen and ink, forming a cornerstone of André Breton's first Surrealist manifesto.

1941

Influence on American Modernism

Arrived in the United States, conducting workshops and exhibitions that catalyzed Abstract Expressionism.

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Final Resting Place

Perpetual Memorial

Memorial Location
Paris, France

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