Michel Henry
Michel Henry is a master French painter representative of the late 20th century, who was awarded France's highest honor, the Légion d'honneur. He gained worldwide popularity for his paintings filled with a sense of happiness, using bright colors to depict flowers, earning him the nickname "Painter of Happiness." Due to his frequent depictions of poppies, he is also known in America as the "King of Poppies." The flowers Michel Henry paints bloom against backdrops of beautiful buildings in Paris and Venice, as well as wild fields and seas. Born in Langres, France, in 1928 and passing away in the suburbs of Paris in 2016, his works continue to convey their charm and emotion to the world.
1: Michel Henry's Biography
1928 Born in Langres, a fortified city in western France founded by ancient Romans.
Distant view of Michel Henry's hometown Langres↓
1947~ Enrolled in the National School of Fine Arts in Paris. Studied in Narbonne's class, known for its powerful compositions. Bernard Buffet was in the same class and later dropped out.
National School of Fine Arts in Paris (commonly known as Beaux-Arts) where Michel Henry studied↓
1950~ Studied in Chapelin-Midi's class, known for its beautiful colors, and graduated at the top of his class. Cassignol later enrolled in Chapelin-Midi's class, and Michel Henry was on the interview panel for Cassignol's admission.
1954 Dispatched to Barcelona to exhibit works as a representative of the National School of Fine Arts in Paris.
1955 Dispatched to Berlin to exhibit works as a representative of the National School of Fine Arts in Paris. Awarded the Taylor Prize.
1956 Awarded the Descartes House Prize, leading to a government-funded study abroad in Descartes' House in Amsterdam.
1957-58 Awarded the Casa de Velázquez Prize, leading to a scholarship study abroad in Madrid.
Casa de Velázquez in Madrid where Michel Henry studied abroad↓
1958-65 Signed a contract with Galerie Romanet, a top gallery on Rue de Matignon in Paris.
Galleries on Rue de Matignon today↓
1960 Awarded the Palais Royal Prize, Paris City Exhibition Silver Medal, and others. From this year onwards, he moved away from the somber post-war artistic style and began painting with brilliant colors.
1961 Henri Farman Prize
1965 Grand Prize for Young Painters from the National Society of Fine Arts
1965-2010 Lived in Montparnasse, on Rue Leclerc, in what was once Chagall's studio.
Michel Henry standing in front of his studio↓
1967-85 Signed a contract with the American gallery Wally Findlay Galleries
1974 Visited Iran as a representative of Salon d'Automne and met with the Shah of Iran.
The Shah and Empress of Iran with Michel Henry↓
1975 Solo exhibition in Geneva.
1977 Awarded the Gold Medal of the Society of French Artists.
1981 Awarded the Chevalier (Knight) of the Légion d'honneur. Awarded the Gold Medal of the French National Horticultural Society.
1982 Solo exhibition in Geneva.
1983 Appointed Secretary-General of Salon d'Automne.
1984 Awarded the Chevalier (Knight) of the Order of Agricultural Merit. Salon d'Automne held a Michel Henry retrospective.
1985 First visit to Japan as a representative of Salon d'Automne, exhibiting works at the National Museum of Western Art in Ueno.
Bernardaud, a French Limoges porcelain company, produced and sold ceramics with Michel Henry's designs.
1986 Awarded the Special Prize of the City of Paris.
1987 Michel Henry's paintings were exhibited in Japan as part of the World Orchid Exhibition.
1989-95 Signed a contract with Etienne Sassy Gallery on Rue de Matignon.
Michel Henry and Brasilier became the two main artists at Etienne Sassy.
1990 Appointed Vice-President of Salon d'Automne.
1991 Salon de Ville Gold Medal. Retrospective exhibition at Château de Cédrières led by Mrs. Chirac.
1992 Onoda Cement (now Taiheiyo Cement) in Japan commissioned a painting calendar for 1994-95.
Solo exhibition at Etienne Sassy Gallery in Paris. Solo exhibition in New York.
1993 Solo exhibitions in Lille and Munich, Germany.
1994 Visited Japan as Vice-President of Salon d'Automne to prepare for the following year's Japan feature.
Solo exhibition in Brussels.
1994~ Signed an exclusive contract with Adeka Co., Ltd. (Gallery Adeka) in Japan. Subsequently visited Japan every year until 2009.
1995~ Michel Henry signed a contract with Alexander Leodooz Gallery on Rue de Matignon.
1995 Adeka Co., Ltd. (Gallery Adeka) invited Michel Henry to Japan to hold "Michel Henry Japan Arrival Exhibition" at Nihonbashi Tokyu Department Store, Tokyu Toyoko Store, and Gallery Adeka at the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry Exhibition Hall in Sunshine City.
Retrospective exhibition at Chapelle des Jésuites. This retrospective exhibition.
1997 Michel Henry donated an oil painting to an auction in New York for a research fund for children's eye diseases. H.R.H. Princess Marianne Bernadotte of Sweden, the organizer, paid a courtesy visit to Michel Henry's studio and sent a letter stating that Michel Henry's painting was the highlight of the charity auction.
Appointed chairman at the 2nd Calvi Contemporary Art Exhibition.
Solo exhibition at Château de Vixouze.
Adeka Co., Ltd. (Gallery Adeka) invited Michel Henry to Japan to hold "Michel Henry Okinawa Arrival Exhibition" at Okinawa Mitsukoshi. Messages arrived for Michel Henry from Princess Marianne Bernadotte of Sweden, Madame Raymond Barre, former Prime Minister, and the Duchess of Orléans. The Okinawa Mitsukoshi store manager (who received a warm welcome from the former Paris branch)
1998 Adeka Co., Ltd. (Gallery Adeka) invited Michel Henry to Japan to hold "Michel Henry Japan Arrival Exhibition" at Kobe Oriental Hotel and Printemps Ginza in Tokyo.
The Kobe Oriental Hotel held the Michel Henry Painting Exhibition as the main event of the French Fair during the Japan-France Exchange Year in Japan. Governor Kaihara of Hyogo Prefecture invited Michel Henry to the Hyogo Prefectural Guest House, presented him with the key to Hyogo Prefecture, and treated him as an honorary citizen. Michel Henry appeared on Sun TV Kobe and sent a message to encourage the citizens of Kobe during the earthquake reconstruction.
Michel Henry paid a courtesy visit to Mr. Alain Naoüm, the French Consul General in Osaka-Kobe.
To commemorate the Michel Henry Japan Arrival Painting Exhibition, Printemps Ginza's President, Chieko Ishii, commissioned Michel Henry to create a mural, and Michel Henry painted a mural for Printemps Ginza in response to President Ishii's request.
Hinode Misaki Hotel in Oumu Town, Hokkaido, decorated its hotel with Michel Henry's oil paintings, creating a Michel Henry Gallery.
With the special patronage of Jacques Chirac, President of the French Republic, a Michel Henry exhibition was held at Château de Val, a castle floating on a lake in central France. It attracted 300,000 visitors in three months. A lithograph poster and original lithographs of Château de Val created by Michel Henry were sold for charity. Michel Henry donated the proceeds to the restoration fund of Château de Val.
1999 To commemorate the year 2000, Michel Henry produced and announced the "Michel Henry Paris 2000 Series" of original lithograph prints. Michel Henry's Paris 2000 is a series depicting 20 famous Parisian landmarks, such as the Arc de Triomphe and the Louvre Museum, in 20 different original lithograph prints.
Adeka Co., Ltd. (Gallery Adeka) invited Michel Henry to Japan to hold "Michel Henry Japan Arrival Painting Exhibition" at Printemps Ginza, Chiba Mitsukoshi, and Gallery Adeka at the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry Exhibition Hall in Sunshine City. Michel Henry held autograph sessions at each venue.
2000 Hyogo Prefecture held the "Japan Flora 2000" flower and greenery exposition to commemorate the earthquake recovery. Governor Toshitami Kaihara of Hyogo Prefecture, as a representative of the French National Horticultural Society, invited Mr. Michel Henry, an honorary citizen of Hyogo Prefecture, Mr. Alain Naoüm, the French Consul General in Kobe-Osaka, and Mr. Yasuhiro Takeda of Galerie Adeka, all three of whom attended.
Adeka Co., Ltd. (Gallery Adeka) invited Michel Henry to Japan to hold "Michel Henry Japan Arrival Painting Exhibition" at Nagoya Mitsukoshi, "Michel Henry Japan Arrival Painting Exhibition" at Shinjuku Takashimaya, and "Michel Henry Japan Arrival Painting Exhibition" at Kyoto Daimaru.
2001 Adeka Co., Ltd. (Gallery Adeka) invited Michel Henry to Japan to hold "Michel Henry Japan Arrival Exhibition" at Ikebukuro Mitsukoshi and "Michel Henry Japan Arrival Painting Exhibition" at Chiba Mitsukoshi.
The French Ambassador to Japan, Mr. Gourdault-Montagne, co-hosted a welcome party for Michel Henry at the French Ambassador's Residence with Galerie Adeka. Ambassador and Mrs. Gourdault-Montagne welcomed the guests at the cocktail party. Michel Henry attended the welcome party accompanied by Mrs. Dewi Sukarno, former First Lady of Indonesia and a collector of Michel Henry's paintings. At Mrs. Dewi's invitation, opera singer Masafumi Akigawa also attended. Yasuhiro Takeda of Galerie Adeka emceed the event.
2002 Adeka Co., Ltd. (Gallery Adeka) invited Michel Henry to Japan to hold "Michel Henry Japan Arrival Exhibition" at Sapporo Mitsukoshi and "Michel Henry Japan Arrival Exhibition" at Okayama Tenmaya Main Store. Sapporo Cultural Broadcasting widely reported on Michel Henry's arrival in Sapporo Mitsukoshi. Michel Henry, Mr. Yoshikazu Kinashi, President of Sapporo Cultural Broadcasting and Honorary Consul of France in Sapporo, Mr. Fieschi, First Secretary of the French Embassy, and Mr. Gilles Guiot, Director of Alliance Française de Sapporo, attended the opening party with Yasuhiro Takeda of Michel Henry Gallery Adeka.
A welcome party for Michel Henry was hosted by Mr. Kenichi Tahara, mayor of Omu Town, which operates Hotel Hinode Misaki, a town-managed hotel decorated with Michel Henry's paintings. Mr. Fieschi, First Secretary of the French Embassy, Mr. Gilles Guiot, Director of Alliance Française de Sapporo, and Yasuhiro Takeda of Galerie Adeka participated with Michel Henry.⇓
2003
Mr. Yoshikazu Kinashi, Honorary French Consul in Sapporo and President of Sapporo Cultural Broadcasting, and Mr. Yasuhiro Takeda, President of Galerie Adeka, visited Langres, Michel Henry's hometown, as a mission from Omu Town. This was to deepen the friendly relations between Omu Town, which has a Michel Henry Gallery, and Langres, which plans to have a Michel Henry Museum. The mayor of Langres hosted a welcome party, also attended by Consul Matsubara, Japanese Consul in Alsace.
Mr. Legros, a prominent citizen of Langres, decided to purchase an old building in Langres to convert it into a Michel Henry Museum.
Mr. Satoru Nino, Principal of Esmod Paris at its main campus in Paris, hosted a welcome party at his home for Mr. Yoshikazu Kinashi. Guests included Mr. Yoshikazu Kinashi, Michel Henry, Mr. Naotaka Isomura (former NHK news caster, former head of NHK European Bureau, and first director of the Japan Cultural Institute in Paris) and his wife, Mr. Patrice de la Perrière (President of Univers des Arts magazine) and his wife, and Mr. Yasuhiro Takeda of Galerie Adeka.
Adeka Co., Ltd. (Gallery Adeka) invited Michel Henry to Japan to hold "Michel Henry Japan Arrival Painting Exhibition" at Ikebukuro Mitsukoshi, "Michel Henry Japan Arrival Painting Exhibition" at Sendai Mitsukoshi, Hakata Daimaru, and Gallery Kimura in Kyobashi, Osaka.
Mr. Philippe Chatenay, French Consul General in Kobe-Osaka, and Mr. and Mrs. Oshima, former mayor of Osaka, visited the Michel Henry Japan Arrival Painting Exhibition at Gallery Kimura.
At the Michel Henry Japan Arrival Painting Exhibition at Sendai Mitsukoshi, Sendai Television extensively reported on the event. Mr. Yoshikazu Kinashi, Honorary French Consul in Sapporo and President of Sapporo Cultural Broadcasting, visited the venue and reunited with Michel Henry and Yasuhiro Takeda of Galerie Adeka. Mr. and Mrs. Norio Sugano, mayor of Iitate Village in Fukushima Prefecture, also visited. Mayor Sugano had a dream of creating a museum of love and peace, flowers and happiness by Raymond Peynet and Michel Henry in Iitate Village.
Michel Henry and Yasuhiro Takeda of Galerie Adeka were invited to Hakata by Mr. Kazuo Ota, Chairman of Hakata Daimaru and President of Hotel Nikko Fukuoka. Hotel Nikko purchased Michel Henry's paintings and displayed them in the hotel.
Michel Henry, Philippe Chatenay (French Consul General in Kobe-Osaka), Satoru Nino (Principal of Esmod Paris at its main campus in Paris), Eiji Ogasawara (Vice President of the French-Japanese Association of Kobe), and Yasuhiro Takeda (President of Galerie Adeka) at the Hankyu International Hotel, which is decorated with Michel Henry's paintings.
A Michel Henry retrospective exhibition was held at Moulin Albigeois, adjacent to the Toulouse-Lautrec Museum in Albi, Lautrec's hometown, hosted by the Midi-Pyrénées region, which includes the city of Albi. Approximately 200 of Michel Henry's oil paintings were exhibited. Michel Henry and Yasuhiro Takeda of Galerie Adeka attended and were interviewed by local television stations. Univers des Arts magazine published a special feature article.
2004
Yasuhiro Takeda of Galerie Adeka became Secretary-General and founded the "Friends of Michel Henry" association. Mr. Naotaka Isomura, former NHK news caster, former head of NHK European Bureau, and first director of the Japan Cultural Institute in Paris, became chairman. Mr. Toshitami Kaihara, Governor of Hyogo Prefecture, Mr. Matsuki Katagiri, President of Fusosha Publishing, Mr. Kazuo Ota, President of Hotel Nikko Fukuoka, and Mr. Yoshikazu Kinashi, Honorary French Consul in Sapporo and President of Sapporo Cultural Broadcasting, became officers.
Adeka Co., Ltd. (Gallery Adeka) invited Michel Henry to Japan to hold "Michel Henry Japan Arrival Painting Exhibition" at Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi, "Michel Henry Japan Arrival Painting Exhibition" at Kobe Daimaru, and "Michel Henry Japan Arrival Painting Exhibition" at Hiroshima Mitsukoshi. Michel Henry and Yasuhiro Takeda of Galerie Adeka paid a courtesy visit to Governor Ido of Hyogo Prefecture.
2005 In June, Michel Henry and the Exhibition of French Masters (featuring Michel Henry, Picasso, Chagall, Utrillo, etc.) were held at the Ebisun Winston Hotel for special invited customers of Isetan Department Store.
In November, Michel Henry Japan Arrival Painting Exhibitions were held at Shinjuku Isetan, Matsudo Isetan, and Fuchu Isetan.
2006 Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Michel Henry Japan Arrival Painting Exhibition
Sendai Mitsukoshi Michel Henry Japan Arrival Painting Exhibition
Yokohama InterContinental Hotel Michel Henry Japan Arrival Exhibition
2007 Hôtel L'Hermitage Gantois, a luxury hotel in Lille, a major city in northern France, held a Michel Henry retrospective. Yasuhiro Takeda of Galerie Adeka was invited from Japan.
Ikebukuro Tobu Michel Henry Japan Arrival Exhibition
Kobe Daimaru Michel Henry Japan Arrival Exhibition
Hiroshima Mitsukoshi Michel Henry Japan Arrival Exhibition
Okayama Tenmaya Michel Henry Exhibition
2008 Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Michel Henry Japan Arrival Exhibition held
Fukuyama Tenmaya Michel Henry Japan Arrival Exhibition held (broadcast by Hiroshima TV)
Nagoya Mitsukoshi Michel Henry Exhibition
2009 Kobe Daimaru held Michel Henry Japan Arrival Painting Exhibition
Kyoto Daimaru Michel Henry Japan Arrival Painting Exhibition held
2011 Paris City Exhibition Gold Prize. Alexander Leodooz Galleries in Paris and Cannes held Michel Henry solo exhibitions.
2012 Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Michel Henry Exhibition held
Kobe Daimaru Michel Henry Painting Exhibition held
2013 Exhibited as the main painter in the "World of French Contemporary Art" exhibition at Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi.
Sapporo Mitsukoshi Michel Henry Exhibition held
2014 Michel Henry retrospective exhibition hosted by the city of Antony in the suburbs of Paris.
December 25, 2016 Died in the suburbs of Paris.
Other Michel Henry exhibitions in Japan (Shinsaibashi Daimaru, Kyoto Daimaru, Umeda Daimaru, Okayama Tenmaya, Takamatsu Tenmaya, Hiroshima Mitsukoshi, Umeda Daimaru, Kichijoji Tokyu, Tama Plaza Tokyu, Machida Tokyu, Machida Odakyu, Iwaki Daikokuya)
2: Works in Collections
Collectors: Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, Museo de Arte Moderno de Bogotá, Musée de Valence, Musée de Langres, Sursock Museum (Beirut), Musée des Beaux-Arts d'Orléans, Royal Family of Saudi Arabia, Princely Family of Monaco, Royal Family of Sweden, Royal Family of the Netherlands, Royal Family of Norway, Jacques Chirac (former President of the French Republic), Raymond Barre (former Prime Minister of France), Jeanne Moreau (French actress), Greta Garbo (American actress), Calgary Fairmont Château Lake Louise (Canada), Hankyu International Hotel, Hotel Nikko Fukuoka, Juntendo Hospital …etc
3: Awards and Honors
Paris City Exhibition Gold Prize, Society of French Artists Gold Prize, Salon d'Automne Gold Prize, Young Painters Exhibition Gold Prize, Salon de Ville Gold Prize, and many others.
Légion d'honneur, Order of Agricultural Merit
Michel Henry Photo Album here→
Michel Henry Work Explanation here→