George Edward

Biography

Édouard Goerg, born Édouard Joseph Goerg in Sydney on June 9, 1893 and died in Callian on April 13, 1969, is a French expressionist painter, engraver and illustrator. Son of champagne merchants, he turned to painting after studying at the Ranson Academy with Paul Sérusier and Maurice Denis, then became friends with Georges Préveraud de Sonneville.
Mobilized during the First World War, his experiences strongly influenced his work. Demobilized, he criticized bourgeois society and became a major figure in French Expressionism, with works on social and surrealist themes. During the Occupation, he was active in the National Front of the Arts and refused to collaborate with the Nazis.
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After the war, he taught engraving and painting and became president of the Society of French Painters-Gravers. He was elected to the Academy of Fine Arts in 1965. His second wife encouraged him to resume painting, particularly on the theme of flower women. He died in 1969, and his writings mysteriously disappeared. He is buried in Callian.
Édouard Goerg, originally intended to take over the family business, chose painting and studied at the Bauhaus and in Paris. After the First World War, he distinguished himself with a sharp criticism of bourgeois society and a work marked by deep colours and social themes. His activity during the Occupation and his political commitments had a profound effect on him. He is also known for his contributions as president of the Society of French Painters-Engravers and a member of the Academy of Fine Arts.