Jean-Pierre Velly (1943-1990)
Old oak in autumn - Vieux Chêne en Automne 1989 watercolour, cm 70 x 100
JEAN-PIERRE VELLY was born in Audierne (Finistère, Brittany, France) in 1943. He attended the Art School of Toulon and joined in 1965 the l’École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux arts of Paris - ENSBA - (the Paris Fine Art Institute). In 1966, Jean-Pierre Velly was awarded the “Grand Prix de Rome” (Rome Grand Prize Award) for etching. 
He therefore moved to Rome and lived and worked at the French Academy in Villa Médicis from 1967 to 1970; the Director at the time was the celebrated painter Balthus. He chose onwards to live and work in the small town of Formello, in the Roman countryside. In 1990, he drowns in the Lake of Bracciano in a boating accident; he was only 46. His body was never recovered.
You will discover on this educational website his biography in French or in Italian; the entire body of etchings, a selection of his drawings, watercolors and paintings; his writings, many presentations, critism, essays about him and his art, all of the catalogues published on his works (.pdf files), press articles in text, a full bibliography, many photographs, as well as audio and video files (to view under Quicktime).
You can also see numerous etchings and artworks by artists that Velly admired: Old Masters and by contemporary artists
THE EXHIBITION AT THE PANORAMA MUSEUM IS OVER...
you can buy the beautiful catalogue (216 pages, 140 color reproductions
500 copies only - sorry no English in this book)
write to us:
“His work is baroque, surreal, allegorical and even apocalyptic in the sense that is suggests a vision of the future that passes through destruction on its way to Utopia. There is an extreme proliferation and at the same time an immense space in many of these works. The artist himself holds the promise of an unusual conjunction of virtuosity and driving purpose”.
Michael Gibson, Around the Galleries in London and Paris,
in «International Herald Tribune», 1975).
To friends and / or collectors of Jean-Pierre Velly
We are undertaking the catalogue raisonné of the entire body of work by Jean-Pierre Velly as well as a full biography. If you have works by this artist or know somebody that has etchings, drawings, watercolor or paintings or if you have met the artist, help us to be as thorough as possible.
or write to:
ADAJPV Archives Jean-Pierre Velly
Archivio Jean-Pierre Velly
c/o M.Mme Julie & Pierre Higonnet
Località Fontecarmine, via della Fonte s/n
02031 Castelnuovo di Farfa (Rieti)
cell. Italy: +39 339 6886954
in France
M.Mme Julie & Pierre Higonnet
33bis, rue du Banquier
75013 Paris France
cell. +33 (0)6 09 65 78 98
we wish to thank
Arthur & Catherine Velly
Mrs Anne-Marie Velly-Fontaine
Lucio Mariani & Luca Valerio
Michel Random (1933-2008)
Didier Bodart
the City of Formello
the Il Bisonte Foundation, Florence
an the many friends of the artist
that have helped us throughout the years
update: July 2010
Welcome to the website dedicated to the French artist
Jean-Pierre Velly (1943-1990)
