Born in Paris, Roseline Granet studied painting and drawing in 1954 at the Art Students League in New York; from 1956 to 1959, she attended the studio of sculptor Ossip Zadkine in Paris. In 1960, Granet, with Gilbert Clémenti, founded the Fonderie Clémenti in Meudon. In 1974, she had her first exhibition at Galerie Darthea Speyer in Paris. She has produced a number of important artworks, including a portrayal of writer Jean-Paul Sartre, commissioned by the French government, and Monument aux droits de l’homme, commissioned by the Ville de Meudon. She is known in Québec for her sculpture of the likeness of poet Émile Nelligan, Monument à Émile Nelligan (2005), among other works. Granet continues to be interested in figurative representation.
- 18 Artworks
- 1h10min
- Place-d'Armes metro station
Square-Victoria-OACI metro station
Artwork description
The sculpture in the likeness of artist Jean-Paul Riopelle is installed in the south part of the eponymous square, near Rue Saint-Antoine West. Although it portrays the artist at the age of 45–47 years, when he produced La Joute, the artwork has no visual relationship with the imposing fountain installed in the north part of the square.
It is a life-size, full-round portrait made of bronze. Riopelle’s face is turned to the right, his right hand rests on his hip, and his right foot is placed slightly forward. The surface of the artwork is granular, and the sculpture gives the impression of movement.
In this artwork, Roseline Granet pays tribute to her great friend. In 1997, she had exhibited a series of sculptures portraying Riopelle in natural poses.