Jean-Baptiste Valadié

Biography of Jean-Baptiste Valadié

Born in Brive-la-Gaillarde in 1933, Jean-Baptiste Valadié took his first artistic steps in Paris at the Charpentier course in Montparnasse. Then, for four years, he studied Applied Arts, while also practicing his talents as a draftsman around the Place du Tertre. In the 1950s, which were not yet buzzing with calls for revolution, the young man dreamed of travels and countries with colors more vibrant than those generated by the Parisian greyness.

During his military service, he exhibited in Algiers, found success, and returned to Paris to conquer gallery owners and merchants who could offer him the leisure to finally immerse himself in the reality of the elsewhere he aspired to.

And thus begins the real career of this sensitive artist, with remarkable skill and respectful modesty.

Quickly exhibiting both in the United States and Japan, he expanded his creative palette by becoming, over the years, an adept of copper engraving and lithography on stone. Once again, he proved to be a perfectionist, talented, and able to perfectly use the new techniques acquired to further explore his own painting pleasures.

From Mexico to South Africa, from Honduras to Bali, he confronts his palette with the colors of reality and "installs his women" there. The woman, this divine figure that he has represented for almost fifty years as if she alone harbored a legendary perfection that illuminates the world. But a world that, unfortunately, no longer sees her as Valadié does, he still knows how to paint her: proud, straight, serene, reigning.

Alongside his muses, Valadié is also a great landscapist, knowing how to immerse a classic landscape in a flow of warm tones, responding to each other, harmonizing like diverse instruments finding harmony together. Just see his blue "Venice" to understand that he is capable of reinventing a city, only by illuminating it with a new sensitivity.

Now living between Provence (where he has been settled since 1986) and Morocco, Jean-Baptiste Valadié continues his creations, patiently continuing to walk the path of his desires.

Jean-Baptiste Valadié is listed on I-CAC (Index of Certified Artists).

(c) Natacha PELLETIER for PASSION ESTAMPES