René Huyghe
Encyclopedia
René Huyghe was a French writer on the history, psychology
and philosophy
of art. He was also a curator at the Louvre
's department of paintings (from 1930), a professor at the Collège de France
and from 1960 a member of the Académie française
. He was the father of the writer François-Bernard Huyghe.
and the école du Louvre
. Made a curator of the Louvre's department of paintings in 1930, he rose to chief curator and professor of the école du Louvre in 1936, aged only 30. He founded and edited the reviews L’Amour de l’Art and Quadrige. He was one of the first figures in France to make films on art, such as his Rubens
(winner of a prize at the Venice Biennale
), and founded the International Federation of Films on Art.
During the Second World War he organised the evacuation of the Louvre's paintings into the unoccupied zone
and took charge of their protection until the Liberation of France. In 1950 he was elected to the Collège de France
, occupying the chair of psychology of the plastic arts. In 1966 he won the Erasmus Prize
at The Hague
. In 1974 he was made director of the Musée Jacquemart-André
- it was at this time he first met the Japanese philosopher Daisaku Ikeda
. He was president of UNESCO
's international committee of experts for saving Venice
and served on the Conseil artistique des Musées de France.
Psychology of art
The psychology of art is an interdisciplinary field that studies the perception, cognition and characteristics of art and its production. For the use of art materials as a form of psychotherapy, see art therapy...
and philosophy
Aesthetics
Aesthetics is a branch of philosophy dealing with the nature of beauty, art, and taste, and with the creation and appreciation of beauty. It is more scientifically defined as the study of sensory or sensori-emotional values, sometimes called judgments of sentiment and taste...
of art. He was also a curator at the Louvre
Louvre
The Musée du Louvre – in English, the Louvre Museum or simply the Louvre – is one of the world's largest museums, the most visited art museum in the world and a historic monument. A central landmark of Paris, it is located on the Right Bank of the Seine in the 1st arrondissement...
's department of paintings (from 1930), a professor at the Collège de France
Collège de France
The Collège de France is a higher education and research establishment located in Paris, France, in the 5th arrondissement, or Latin Quarter, across the street from the historical campus of La Sorbonne at the intersection of Rue Saint-Jacques and Rue des Écoles...
and from 1960 a member of the Académie française
Académie française
L'Académie française , also called the French Academy, is the pre-eminent French learned body on matters pertaining to the French language. The Académie was officially established in 1635 by Cardinal Richelieu, the chief minister to King Louis XIII. Suppressed in 1793 during the French Revolution,...
. He was the father of the writer François-Bernard Huyghe.
Life
René Huyghe studied philosophy and aesthetics at the SorbonneSorbonne
The Sorbonne is an edifice of the Latin Quarter, in Paris, France, which has been the historical house of the former University of Paris...
and the école du Louvre
École du Louvre
The École du Louvre is an institution of higher education and French Grande École located in the Aile de Flore of the Musée du Louvre in Paris, France, and is dedicated to the study of archaeology, art history, anthropology and epigraphy....
. Made a curator of the Louvre's department of paintings in 1930, he rose to chief curator and professor of the école du Louvre in 1936, aged only 30. He founded and edited the reviews L’Amour de l’Art and Quadrige. He was one of the first figures in France to make films on art, such as his Rubens
Rubens
Rubens is often used to refer to Peter Paul Rubens , the Flemish artist.Rubens may also refer to:- People :Family name* Paul Rubens Rubens is often used to refer to Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640), the Flemish artist.Rubens may also refer to:- People :Family name* Paul Rubens (composer) Rubens is...
(winner of a prize at the Venice Biennale
Venice Biennale
The Venice Biennale is a major contemporary art exhibition that takes place once every two years in Venice, Italy. The Venice Film Festival is part of it. So too is the Venice Biennale of Architecture, which is held in even years...
), and founded the International Federation of Films on Art.
During the Second World War he organised the evacuation of the Louvre's paintings into the unoccupied zone
Vichy France
Vichy France, Vichy Regime, or Vichy Government, are common terms used to describe the government of France that collaborated with the Axis powers from July 1940 to August 1944. This government succeeded the Third Republic and preceded the Provisional Government of the French Republic...
and took charge of their protection until the Liberation of France. In 1950 he was elected to the Collège de France
Collège de France
The Collège de France is a higher education and research establishment located in Paris, France, in the 5th arrondissement, or Latin Quarter, across the street from the historical campus of La Sorbonne at the intersection of Rue Saint-Jacques and Rue des Écoles...
, occupying the chair of psychology of the plastic arts. In 1966 he won the Erasmus Prize
Erasmus Prize
The Erasmus Prize is an annual prize awarded by the Praemium Erasmianum Foundation, a Dutch non-profit organization, to individuals or institutions that have made notable contributions to European culture, society, or social science. The Praemium Erasmianum Foundation was founded on 23 June 1958 by...
at The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
. In 1974 he was made director of the Musée Jacquemart-André
Musée Jacquemart-André
The Musée Jacquemart-André is a public museum located at 158 Boulevard Haussmann in the 8th arrondissement of Paris. The museum was created from the private home of Édouard André and Nélie Jacquemart to display the art they collected during their lives.-History:Edouard André, the scion of a...
- it was at this time he first met the Japanese philosopher Daisaku Ikeda
Daisaku Ikeda
is president of Sōka Gakkai International , a Nichiren Buddhist lay association which claims 12 million members in 192 countries and territories, and founder of several educational, cultural and peace research institutions.-Life and establishment of SGI:...
. He was president of UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
's international committee of experts for saving Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
and served on the Conseil artistique des Musées de France.
Decorations
- Grand officer of the Légion d'honneurLégion d'honneurThe Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
- Grand Cross of the ordre national du MériteOrdre National du MériteThe Ordre national du Mérite is an Order of State awarded by the President of the French Republic. It was founded on 3 December 1963 by President Charles de Gaulle...
- Commander of the Order of Leopold
Main works
- Histoire de l’art contemporain (Alcan, 1935)
- Cézanne (PlonPlönPlön is the district seat of the Plön district in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, and has about 13,000 inhabitants. It lies right on the shores of Schleswig-Holstein's biggest lake, the Great Plön Lake, as well as on several smaller lakes, touching the town on virtually all sides...
, 1936) - L'univers de Watteau, dans Hélène Adhémar, Watteau : sa vie, son œuvre. Catalogue des peintures et illustration (P. Tisné, 1950)
- La Peinture d’Occident Cent chefs-d’œuvre du musée du Louvre (Nouvelles éditions françaises, 1952)
- Dialogue avec le visible (FlammarionGroupe FlammarionGroupe Flammarion is the fourth largest publishing group in France, comprising many units, including its namesake, founded in 1876 by Ernest Flammarion, as well as units in distribution, sales, printing and bookshops . Flammarion became part of the Italian media conglomerate RCS MediaGroup in 2000...
, 1955) - L’Art et l’Homme, Vol I (editor) (LarousseÉditions LarousseÉditions Larousse is a French publishing house specialising in reference works such as dictionaries. It was founded by Pierre Larousse and its best-known work is the Petit Larousse.It was acquired by Vivendi Universal in 1998...
, 1957) Vol II (1958) Vol III (1961) - Van Gogh (Flammarion, 1958)
- L’Art et l’Homme (Flammarion, 1960)
- Delacroix ou le Combat solitaire (Hachette, 1964)
- Les Puissances de l’image (Flammarion, 1965)
- Sens et destin de l’art (Flammarion, 1967)
- L’Art et le Monde moderne (ed. with Jean Rudel) 2 volumes (Larousse, 1970)
- Formes et Forces (Flammarion, 1971)
- La Relève du Réel, la peinture française au XIXe siècle, impressionnisme, symbolisme (Flammarion, 1974)
- Ce que je crois (Grasset, 1974)
- La nuit appelle l'aurore, dialogue orient-occident sur la crise contemporaine (with Daisaku IkedaDaisaku Ikedais president of Sōka Gakkai International , a Nichiren Buddhist lay association which claims 12 million members in 192 countries and territories, and founder of several educational, cultural and peace research institutions.-Life and establishment of SGI:...
) (Flammarion, 1976) - La Relève de l’Imaginaire, la peinture française au XIXe siècle, réalisme et romantisme (Flammarion, 1981)
- Les Signes du temps et l’Art moderne (Flammarion, 1985)
- Se perdre dans Venise (with Marcel BrionMarcel BrionMarcel Brion was a French essayist, literary critic, novelist, and historian. -Biography:The son of a lawyer, Brion was classmates in Thiers with Marcel Pagnol and Albert Cohen. After completing his secondary education in Champittet, Switzerland, he studied law at the University of Aix-en-Provence...
) (Arthaud, 1987) - Psychologie de l’art, résumé des cours du Collège de France (Le Rocher, 1991)