Augustin Lesage, 1876-1954 : catalogue raisonné de l'oeuvre peint

A French mediumistic painter from a family of miners, Augustin Lesage (1876–1954) worked in the mines after obtaining his school-leaving certificate in 1890. His life took an unexpected turn in 1911 when he heard voices telling him that one day he would become a painter. Guided by the spirits, he began to create works characterised by geometric and symmetrical compositions. Admired by figures such as André Breton and Jean Dubuffet, he became a leading figure in Art Brut.

This reference work on Augustin Lesage includes analyses by various renowned art historians and a psychiatrist. The catalogue raisonné chapter lists 250 paintings out of the 500 estimated to have survived to date and which remain in circulation worldwide; a large number of the artist’s works remain unattributed within major private collections, both in Europe and America. The book is illustrated with extensive documentation: testimonies, writings, photographs, a bibliography and details of exhibitions.