André Masson

Breton noticed Masson’s first exhibition, invited him to join the surrealist group and later expelled him. Ernst and Miró were close friends — Miró’s studio was next door, and became a meeting point for Jacob, Péret, Dubuffet, Hemingway, Stein, Desnos, Artaud, Queneau among others. He was encouraged to make his first sculpture by Giacometti, did stage designs for Barrault, drew illustrations for Bataille and co-founded ‘Minotaure’ with him. Lacan was his brother-in-law (following Bataille); Limbour and Leiris friends from his first arrival in Paris, who wrote about his work. Calder and Tanguy lived nearby in the U.S.