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Movement Narrative Figuration

Narrative Figuration first appeared in the 1960s, as a response to abstraction. Although not as well-known as Pop art, Narrative Figuration created a community of artists across Europe who engaged with the colourful, entertaining and heavily political movement. Despite it being commonly associated with Pop art, American Pop art was considered too hegemonic and formal in comparison to Narrative Figuration, which sought to display the political struggles of the time. 


Narrative Figuration was a concept invented by art critic, Gérald Gassiot-Talabot in 1964. Along with artists Bernard Rancillac and Hervé Télémaque, Gassiot-Talabot organised the exhibition “Mythologies quotidiennes." Artists such as Eduardo Arroyo, René Bertholo, Gianni Bertini, Öyvind Fahlström, Peter Klasen, Jacques Monory, Antonio Recalcati and Jan Voss took part in the exhibition. They sought to communicate socio-political changes via their works, and did so through the use of comic strips, films, photography and advertising campaigns. Most artists of the Narrative Figuration movement were inspired by Herbert Marcuse's Marxist theories of May 68; believing the rebellious potential of artists' works should be reflected in their aesthetic, as opposed to discourse. Artists reproduced shocking images found in the media, using visual language to convey the political urgency of the time. May 1968 was a tumultuous period of civil unrest, where strikes and demonstrations nearly stopped France's economy all together. 


Hervé Télémaque: born on November 5, 1937, Télémaque is a French painter of Haitian origin, and is a central influence to Narrative Figuration. 


Bernard Rancillac is a French artist, painter and sculptor born in 1931 in Paris. He continues to live and work in the Paris region. Along with Gassiot-Talabot, Hervé Télémaque and Foldes, he co-organised the exhibition "Mythologies quotidiennes."


Jacques Monory: one of the main figures of the Narrative Figuration movement. Monoroy was deeply concerned by the violence depicted everyday, and his heartache can be felt in his heavily emotive paintings. Monory develops his works through photography and cinematography appropriated from contemporary society. His works are recognisable through their use of monochromy, type of composition and themes. 


Peter Klasen: in 1964, he participated in the exhibition "Mythologies quotidiennes", which brought together 34 Narrative Figuration artists in the Musée d'Art Moderne in Paris. 


Although Narrative Figuration was somewhat forgotten after the 1980s, it can still be considered one of the most important contemporary art movements in France. Discover artists like, Valerio Adami, Antonio Segui and Erró on Artsper, who continue to incorporate the values of this inspiring movement in their works. 
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Print, Trio Pépé, Erró

Trio Pépé

Erró

Print - 77 x 61 cm Print - 30.3 x 24 inch

$636

Painting, The gun, Erró

The gun

Erró

Painting - 162 x 97 cm Painting - 63.8 x 38.2 inch

$86,690

Painting, Dinner, Sargis Zaqaryan

Dinner

Sargis Zaqaryan

Painting - 50 x 40 x 2 cm Painting - 19.7 x 15.7 x 0.8 inch

$593

Painting, M.50, Peter Klasen

M.50

Peter Klasen

Painting - 65 x 50 cm Painting - 25.6 x 19.7 inch

$12,137

Fine Art Drawings, Coltelli, Valerio Adami

Coltelli

Valerio Adami

Fine Art Drawings - 48 x 36 cm Fine Art Drawings - 18.9 x 14.2 inch

$9,247

Fine Art Drawings, Hommage à Léger, Erró

Hommage à Léger

Erró

Fine Art Drawings - 47 x 38 cm Fine Art Drawings - 18.5 x 15 inch

$10,981

Painting, Gaia VII, Elsa Garate

Gaia VII

Elsa Garate

Painting - 100 x 100 x 3 cm Painting - 39.4 x 39.4 x 1.2 inch

$5,201

Painting, Toscane, Gérard Fromanger

Toscane

Gérard Fromanger

Painting - 76 x 82 x 4 cm Painting - 29.9 x 32.3 x 1.6 inch

$5,433

Painting, Les Pensées, Nèle Nèle

Les Pensées

Nèle Nèle

Painting - 100 x 81 x 4 cm Painting - 39.4 x 31.9 x 1.6 inch

$2,312

Fine Art Drawings, Folie 12, Denis Poughon

Folie 12

Denis Poughon

Fine Art Drawings - 26 x 13 x 1.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 10.2 x 5.1 x 0.5 inch

$405

Sculpture, Love, Annie Jungers

Love

Annie Jungers

Sculpture - 27.5 x 10 x 24 cm Sculpture - 10.8 x 3.9 x 9.4 inch

$5,375

Fine Art Drawings, La Sieste, Jules Mimouni

La Sieste

Jules Mimouni

Fine Art Drawings - 65 x 50 x 5 cm Fine Art Drawings - 25.6 x 19.7 x 2 inch

$1,445

Photography, The Bulb, Eric Ouaknine

The Bulb

Eric Ouaknine

Photography - 105 x 150 x 0.2 cm Photography - 41.3 x 59.1 x 0.1 inch

$1,734

Painting, Pandora, Valerio Adami

Pandora

Valerio Adami

Painting - 97 x 130 x 2.5 cm Painting - 38.2 x 51.2 x 1 inch

$86,690

Fine Art Drawings, Repos, Changzheng Zhu

Repos

Changzheng Zhu

Fine Art Drawings - 38 x 38 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 15 x 15 x 0 inch

$144

Fine Art Drawings, Laurette, Marie Renaud

Laurette

Marie Renaud

Fine Art Drawings - 50 x 40 x 0.2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 19.7 x 15.7 x 0.1 inch

$439

Print, Vermeer, Erró

Vermeer

Erró

Print - 58.4 x 80 cm Print - 23 x 31.5 inch

$850

Print, Nora, Erró

Nora

Erró

Print - 70 x 50 cm Print - 27.6 x 19.7 inch

$578

Print, Espace, Erró

Espace

Erró

Print - 56 x 54 cm Print - 22 x 21.3 inch

$491

Print, Sans titre, Erró

Sans titre

Erró

Print - 78 x 57 x 1 cm Print - 30.7 x 22.4 x 0.4 inch

$925

Print, Leger, Erró

Leger

Erró

Print - 58.4 x 80 cm Print - 23 x 31.5 inch

$850

Print, Rosa, Erró

Rosa

Erró

Print - 70 x 50 cm Print - 27.6 x 19.7 inch

$578

Print, Avoir un moyen, Erró

Avoir un moyen

Erró

Print - 68 x 49 cm Print - 26.8 x 19.3 inch

$578

Print, To us to, Erró

To us to

Erró

Print - 68 x 49 cm Print - 26.8 x 19.3 inch

$578

Print, Amazon, Erró

Amazon

Erró

Print - 94 x 75 cm Print - 37 x 29.5 inch

$867

Print, Picasso Boat, Erró

Picasso Boat

Erró

Print - 76.5 x 119 cm Print - 30.1 x 46.9 inch

$809

Print, Birdscape, Erró

Birdscape

Erró

Print - 56 x 78 cm Print - 22 x 30.7 inch

$636

Print, Elvis, Erró

Elvis

Erró

Print - 58.4 x 80 cm Print - 23 x 31.5 inch

$800

Print, Bloom, Erró

Bloom

Erró

Print - 33 x 24.1 cm Print - 13 x 9.5 inch

$700

Print, Tank, Erró

Tank

Erró

Print - 88.9 x 58.4 cm Print - 35 x 23 inch

$1,000

Print, Marilyn Monroe, Erró

Marilyn Monroe

Erró

Print - 85.1 x 106.7 cm Print - 33.5 x 42 inch

$950

Print, Sans titre, Erró

Sans titre

Erró

Print - 56 x 92 cm Print - 22 x 36.2 inch

$682

Print, Sans titre, Erró

Sans titre

Erró

Print - 83.5 x 57.5 cm Print - 32.9 x 22.6 inch

$636

Painting, Amazon Woman, Erró

Amazon Woman

Erró

Painting - 89 x 59 x 3 cm Painting - 35 x 23.2 x 1.2 inch

$21,962

Print, Life, Erró

Life

Erró

Print - 61 x 69 cm Print - 24 x 27.2 inch

$636

Print, MM, Eduardo Arroyo

MM

Eduardo Arroyo

Print - 72 x 100 cm Print - 28.3 x 39.4 inch

$2,161

Print, Wonderwoman, Erró

Wonderwoman

Erró

Print - 78 x 56 cm Print - 30.7 x 22 inch

$751

Print, Wonderwoman, Erró

Wonderwoman

Erró

Print - 75 x 53 cm Print - 29.5 x 20.9 inch

$682

Print, Sans titre, Erró

Sans titre

Erró

Print - 92 x 56 cm Print - 36.2 x 22 inch

$578

Print, Fishscape, Erró

Fishscape

Erró

Print - 56 x 78 cm Print - 22 x 30.7 inch

$636