SAD NEWS FROM FRANCE

Pierre Finkelstein · Joined: 02 Feb 2007 Posts: 193 Location: New York

My Friends, we have lost a legend of the brush, our dear friend and colleague Pierre Lefuma past away this morning , March 9th 2010, in France.
He was stricken with cancer.
We are all in shock at this sudden departure of a monument of decorative painting. He leaves behind a legacy of work that is not rivaled by many.
I for one will miss his presence in all the Salon, his unassuming demeanor, and his masterful brush stroke.

Pierre

lynne · Joined: 27 Jan 2007 Posts: 4960 Location: san francisco

a dark day, indeed. i know all the palace of Versailles is mourning this loss

Pierre Finkelstein · Joined: 02 Feb 2007 Posts: 193 Location: New York

And a few more..

vitold01 · Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2010 11:17 pm Post subject:

This is very sad!!!

stencilist · Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2010 11:55 pm Post subject:

I am sorry to hear it. My condolences to you Pierre and all who knew him.

cleta · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 3232 Location: Chapel Hill, NC

So sorry to hear of this, Pierre. Thank you for posting the photos - a sweet remembrance.

Surfempress · Joined: 27 Aug 2006 Posts: 861 Location: Colorado

I have heard him called the national treasure of France. I have treasured every moment that I got to watch him paint. This is a great loss. My condolences to all who knew and loved this great one. A very sad day indeed.

Ideefiks vzw · Joined: 30 May 2007 Posts: 70 Location: antwerpen belgium

Very sad and unexpected news indeed.
With Pierre we loose a fine man in all possible ways but also one of the best - if not thé best - decorative painter we knew.
Salon will never be the same without him.
We miss him already.

superskib · Joined: 14 Sep 2006 Posts: 91 Location: UK

How sad to hear of the recent death of M. Lefumat. I have just had a conversation with John Fleming that reflects my sentiments entirely – in John's own words "the French are streets ahead of us, and he was Primus inter Pares" definitely first among equals. We send condolences to his family and all his colleagues in France and those like myself who were in awe of his sublime skills. Requiescat in Pace, Pierre.

alison · Joined: 25 Feb 2007 Posts: 417 Location: Florence Italy

Very sad news. He was a great craftsman and a wonderful soft spoken man. I hope that his family or maybe the metiers d'art (not sure if that would be the right organization) in France will keep an archive of his work.

Kim S · Joined: 26 Jul 2006 Posts: 1708 Location: Vermont

Well said, Pierre. Very sad to learn about Maitre Lefumat. What a dear man, and deep loss. Condolences to his family.

classicarts - fred cox · Joined: 25 Sep 2006 Posts: 465 Location: atlanta

Truly sad day. M. Lefumat was a legend, one of the greatest. He will be missed.

Jodi · Joined: 26 Feb 2007 Posts: 6363 Location: Chicago

Anyone lucky enough to be in his class was indeed in heaven. He will be sorely missed.

Gert-Jan Nijsse · Joined: 22 May 2007 Posts: 55 Location: Goes NL, Antwerp B

Monsieur Pierre Lefumat, I agree with Perre F., a living legend has left us. During the very pleasant course last summer mr. Lefumat showed his urge to teach and take the students into his world. Looking at my camera with the image of his hand holding all the brushes he said; Each brush has so much possibilities, but knowing them all is very hard.... Deep respect for him as human, modest and caring. Merci beaucoup mr. Lefumat.

mladyjoy · Joined: 28 Jan 2007 Posts: 2851 Location: Illinois

Pierre, My deepest condolences I never had the fortune of a class with Mr. Lefumat. I feel I really missed something. Thanks for sharing all the memories and pictures.

sonol'artista · Posted: Thu Mar 11, 2010 2:10 pm Post subject:

I feel so fortunate to have met him...his work was the bar we measured by.

Theresa

David Lane · Joined: 28 Nov 2008 Posts: 102 Location: scotland

My condolences.... an inspiration

southpawsue · Joined: 05 Sep 2007 Posts: 1113 Location: New Jersey

Sad news, My condolence as well, cherish your fond memories.

Jersey Girl · Joined: 27 Dec 2008 Posts: 1069 Location: Mckinney, TX

Yes, this is very sad news ... the world has lost a great master and what seems to have been a wonderful kind soul in Mr. Lefumat. I am very sad never to have met him and witness his hand at creating. I remember being in awe of him while reading an article of Sean Crosby's visit a few years ago and how Sean received a painters pallette with autographs, Mr. Lefumat being one of them ... what a treasure!

Thank you Pierre for sharing the wonderful pictures of him and his craft. May he still be creating in the next phase Very Happy

painted spaces · Joined: 26 Sep 2006 Posts: 1022 Location: omaha, ne

My condolences to M. Lefumat's family. What an amazing talent. I had the opportunity to meet him and to watch him create at Meeting of the Masters 2007 in Dallas. He was a true master of his craft.

Mike Macneil · Joined: 20 Nov 2006 Posts: 438 Location: Calgary , Alberta.

Very sorry to hear this news , Pierre ,Thanks for the pictures. A great loss to France and the rest of the world.
I too got to meet him at the meeting of the masters , he was indeed a Grand Master with so much talent and a very kind heart, he will be missed.

PetiteMarie · Joined: 03 Oct 2008 Posts: 394 Location: South of France

How sad... decorative painting will deeply miss you, Maître Lefumat...

gary lord · Joined: 02 Oct 2008 Posts: 134 Location: Cincinnati, Ohio

So sorry to her of his passing on. Though I did not know him it appears he had many other things to teach in life besides painting.

Vigini Studios, Inc. · Joined: 15 Jan 2007 Posts: 76 Location: San Antonio, Texas

Pierro,
Just saw your post about the passing of the amazing Mr. Le Fumat. The picture of you too holding hands is so powerful. Two Frenchies bonded by their love of the brush. The photo of Michelle is precious and all of these mementos are just a reminder of what a small, intimate group we really are connected through a common bond. Very cool. May he live on in all of us.
Thanks for sharing all these photos everyone.

Tania Seabock · Posted: Mon Mar 15, 2010 10:57 am Post subject:

This is very sad news.
I had no idea he had cancer.

I feel fortunate that he was my first teacher....I have never seen anyone work his dumesh brush the way he did. It was truly like watching a pro in action.

This is really sad to find out.
Sad