Baterbys Art Auction Gallery - Bios

Francois Fiedler

(1921-2001) In Kassa, Hungary in 1921 Francois Fiedler made his entrance into the world. At a young age he began painting academic portraits and copying the grand masters of the past. Yet, it wasn’t until his art studies in Budapest that Fiedler’s birth into the art world began. He moved to Paris after World War II at the age of 25, where he was discovered by the contemporary artist Joan Miró. Miró introduced Fiedler to the Galerie Maeght, where he became one of the new stars of the post-war art world. It was once Fiedler moved to Paris that his work evolved into abstraction and immediately his first solo exhibits were organized. He also participated in group exhibitions such as the ‘Salon des Realities Nouvelles’ and the ‘Salon de Mai.’ His friend Joan Miró introduced him to then gallery owner Aime Maeght, and also to Braque and Calder; from then on this assured him numerous exhibitions. Besides painting, which remained his principal means of expression, Fiedler experimented for several years with etching. The artist illustrated diverse works such as St. John of the Cross, Hercules and Claude Ollier. Fiedler worked for more than 2 years on 35 etchings for the Illustrations of the Evangeline According to St. Matthew, but the publication of this work was compromised by the death of Aimé Maeght in 1981.