“It is very difficult to be a descendant of Victor Hugo; also, it’s no longer a question of going down, we have to go back up.” The irresistible Louise de Vilmorin was right, and Jean Hugo apparently listened to her. Although he was neither the first writer nor the first painter of the Hugo clan, the great-grandson of the poet traced his own path in the circle of Parisian artists, crossing the 20th century from one side to the other, leaving behind him a colossal work: a thousand paintings, three thousand drawings, flamboyant costumes and tasty writings where humor often competes with poetry. Forty years after his death, the Fabre Museum reveals part of this heritage by bringing together more than 330 pieces, paintings and sketches by Jean Hugo, as well as works by his wife Valentine and his closest friends, Francis Picabia and Pablo Picasso. Between master paintings and family photos, this rich exhibition narrates the different stages of his life: from the Belle Époque to the Second World War, from his desire to become an artist born under the bombs of the Great War to the games of metamorphoses in his painting. Here we follow the singular destiny of Jean Hugo, whose work and existence allowed itself some turns among the surrealists and the avant-gardes, to arrive at this magical and indefinable look.

Discover the art of Jean Hugo at the Paul Valéry Museum here.

FABRE MUSEUM
From June 28 to October 13, 2024
39 bd Bonne Nouvelle, 34000 Montpellier
Ticketing here