Biography

Born in Rouen in Normandy, René Crevel was one of the last all-round talents. After studying architecture from 1906 to 1912 and training in various architectural firms in the region, he moved to the capital Paris in 1913. In addition to architectural designs, he created self-taught illustrations, sketches for arts and crafts, drawings and oil paintings.

After a short period of permanent employment at the Dumas department store, he set up his own business in 1914 and provided designs for the other major department stores in Paris, such as Les Galeries Lafayette and Le Printemps. He designed wallpaper, fabric patterns, lamps and furniture, and his repertoire also included stage sets and theater costumes. He always found time to paint on the side. His role models and influences included avant-garde artists, Fauvism, Cubism, Futurism and Nabis.

Crevel celebrated his greatest success with the decoration of the pavilion of the Grands Magasins du Louvre at the famous Exposition internationale des Arts décoratifs in 1925, where he realized the exhibition rooms together with Paul Follot (1877-1942), among others.

In November of the same year, he began a long collaboration with the Manufacture nationale de Sèvres, for which he designed several plate decorations and a large vase.

In architecture, he turned his attention to social housing. He began his magnum opus 1939, but due to the Second World War, it would take until 1950 for the planned 50 families to move into the garden city.

The Cité ouvrière de Garches (1939-1956), for the employees of Dr. François Debat's research laboratory.

After the Second World War, he was commissioned by the French state to contribute to the reconstruction of France. In the 1960s, René Crevel devoted himself increasingly to painting. He died in 1971 surrounded by his family in Villeneuve-Loubet on the Côte d'Azur.

Over the course of his life, he took part in numerous salons and exhibitions at home and abroad.

As early as September 1917, the Revue Normandie and in November the Revue Normande devoted enthusiastic articles to his son.

We regularly sell objects by René Crevel in our auctions. If you would like to sell your objects, our experts are always at your disposal.

Objects by René Crevel