... amazing reliefs cut in linoleum and colored with oils, lost art-deco masterpiece.
Pierre Van Parys Bourdelle was born in Paris, France, on April 21, 1901, the son of the famous French sculptor Antoine Bourdelle (1861-1929). He fought in WWI, suffering severe physical trauma which resulted in him becoming deaf. He was embittered by the experiences which he suffered, and it shows in his art.
Bourdelle studied under Rodin (who studied with the senior Bourdelle), graduated from Lycée Henrî 1918 and the Sorbonne in 1921. In 1929 he moved to the United States. He was an artist in New York in the 30's-40's and like most financially strapped artists, Bourdelle tried to make a living with corporate contracts. He produced large scale paintings, mural and reliefs for many architectural projects in New York and other cities, as well as for a number of ships, including the huge murals in the dining room of the SS America
