Joanny Durand

JOANNY DURAND (1886 - 1955).
"Flemish dancer", first third of the 20th century.
Sculpture in patinated bronze.
Signed and numbered.
Measurements: 40 cm (height); 51 cm (height with base); 21 x 21 cm (base).

With graceful movement, the dancer raises her right arm and tilts her slender body to the side while with her delicate left hand she holds the lower part of her dress. The gathered hair frames and stylizes the facial oval of fine features. She wears vaporous fabrics that are thrown to the front driven by the frenzy of the moment, remaining frozen in time.

Born in Boen-sur-Lignon, Durand began his training in engraving in his native town, then moved to Paris to study at the École Nationale des Beaux Arts, where he specialized in sculpture. After World War I, where he was at the front, he felt the need to pay tribute to his fallen comrades and created numerous memorials to honor them, both in his region and in the Seine Department.

However, his life was not limited to sculpture, as he was a fervent advocate of regionalism and used to perform songs about his homeland in Parisian cabarets. He frequently traveled to his birthplace and was involved in the artistic life of Montmartre. He also founded a local newspaper and wrote several short stories, articles and poems.