Provenance
Private collection, Paris
Note: Lagrange began painting at an early age, attending the École des Beaux Arts, where he studied under Fernand Sabate and Lucien Penar and where he would later win the painting prize in 1938. As his style developed, inspired by the dynamic colour of the Fauves and the abstract geometry of the Cubists he first began to exhibit in 1936 at the Salon des Tuileries. However, his early success was interrupted at the outbreak of war when he was conscripted and subsequently taken prisoner in Silesia. Returning to his hometown of Arcueil in 1944 he began to exhibit at the Galerie Jeanne Castel and Galerie Lafayette. Through his friends Gischia, Singier, and Pignon he joined the avant-garde group the Jeune Peinture Française, exhibiting at the Galerie de France. His style developed again toward using light alone to convey aspects of space, form, and colour and his 1948 exhibition at the Galerie de France marked the first purchase of his work by the Musée d’Art Moderne, Paris. Lagrange exhibited extensively both in France and internationally, notably: Philadelphia, 1951; Sao Paulo Biennale, 1951; Venice Biennale, 1952; Milan Triennial, 1953; Italy, 1955; San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, 1956; Vienna, 1960; and participated regularly at the Salon de Mai, from 1946; and in the important École de Paris exhibitions held at the Galerie Charpentier, 1954-58, 60, 61. During his career Lagrange also acted as artistic advisor to the film director Jacques Tati, and regularly designed sets for Jean Vilars’s avant-garde theatrical performances. From 1971-83 he was Professor of painting at the École des Beaux Arts, Paris. He is represented in many public collections internationally including: Musée Nationale d’Art Moderne, Paris; FRAC d’Ille-de-France, Paris; Le Harvre; La Chaux-de-Fonds; Liège; Pontoise; Saínt-Étienne; Museum of Moderne Art, Philadelphia; Museum of Modern Art, NewYork.