Raymond Cogniat (14 April 1896 – 20 February 1977) was a French art critic, journalist, historian of art and expert on theatre design.[1]
Life
Raymond Cogniat was born on 14 April 1896, the son of a journalist. In 1918 he joined the staff of the
Théâtre de l'Atelier. He continued to champion avant-garde theatre as a critic for the journal Comœdia and, until 1940, editor of Beaux Arts.[1] In 1923 Cogniat became the resident art critic of the Revue de l'Amérique latine, developing an expertise .[2]
From 1943 to 1967 Cogniat was Principal Inspector of Fine Arts,[3] and after
World War II he was also managing director of the weekly Arts.[1]
Cogniat was responsible for the French pavilion at the
Venice Biennale between 1956 and 1960, and called for Paris to host a similar event. This resulted in
André Malraux, Minister of Culture, establishing the
Biennale de Paris in 1959, with Cogniat appointed as general delegate in charge of the event.[4]
Cogniat was head of the arts section of Le Figaro from 1957 until his death.[3] He died in Paris on 20 February 1977.
Works
Décors de Théatre, Paris: Editrions des Chroniques du Jour, 1930.
De la mise en scène: essai d'esthétique du théâtre, Paris, 1947.
The century of the impressionists, London: Clematis Press, 1960. Translated by Graham Snell from Le siècle des impressionistes, Paris: Flammarion, 1959.
Raoul Dufy, New York: Crown, 1962. Translated by Thomas L. Callow from the French Raoul Duffy, Paris: Éditions Braun & Cie, 1950.
Cinquante ans de spectacles de France. Les decorateurs de theatre, Paris: Librarie theatrale, 1955
XXth century drawings and water-colors, New York: Crown Publishers, 1966. Translated by Anne Ross from the French Dessins et aquarelles du XXe siècle, Paris: Librarie Hachette, 1966.
Monet and his world, London: Thames & Hudson, 1966. Translated by Wayne Diles from the French.
Romanticism, London: Heron, 1968. Translated by Joan White from the French Le romantisme, Lausanne: Editions Rencontre, 1966.
Braque, New York: Crown Publishers, 1970. Translated by Eileen B. Hennessy from the French Braque, Paris: Éditions Braun & Cie, 1970.
Georges Braque, New York : Harry N. Abrams, 1980. Translated by I. Mark Paris from the French G. Braque, 1976.
Sisley, New York: Crown Publishers, 1978. Translated by Alice Sachs from the French Sisley, Paris: Flammarion, 1978.