COSTA Joachim (1888-1971)

He was one of the instigators of a return to direct carving after WW1 and participated in the exhibitions of the group 'Douce France' that was advocating a return to tradition. His work is influenced by Greco-Roman statuary and Far-East art. Among the themes he worked on are animals, which he executed with a simplification of volumes. He also executed busts, worked on ceramics and created a lot of Art Déco models, for exemple vases made out of silver bronze and patterns of women, before starting to work on monumental pieces. By the end of his life, he sank into oblivion, for his art became more figurative.