MICHEL BASSOMPIERRE
AT BRAGANÇA (PORTUGAL)
After New York, Monaco, Paris, and Brussels, Michel BASSOMPIERRE’s works continue their journey and are being presented for the first time in Portugal, in Bragança.
A few weeks after the artist’s passing, this exhibition bears witness to the vitality of a body of work that continues to travel the world and convey its message in support of life.
This exhibition is presented with the patronage of Cristina and Jacques BIGAND – Adao Grupo.
A dual exhibition offering a glimpse into the artist's world
In the City Streets / June 30, 2026–January 31, 2027
Seven monumental sculptures, each standing three meters tall, are on display in the heart of the city. This outdoor exhibition invites the public to an immersive encounter with the animals that have shaped Michel BASSOMPIERRE’s work.
EXHIBITION
At the Garça Morais Contemporary Art Center / June 30–October 18, 2026
This exhibition offers a unique glimpse into the creative process of Michel BASSOMPIERRE. The exhibition reveals the various stages of his work, from preparatory drawings to clay models, all the way to bronze casting.
For the first time outside Michel BASSOMPIERRE’s studio, several original works in clay and plaster are being unveiled to the public.
The exhibition also brings together a remarkable collection of bronzes, marbles, and alabasters illustrating the full diversity of Michel BASSOMPIERRE’s “Arche” series: bears and gorillas, as well as elephants, horses, and more…
MICHEL BASSOMPIERRE: THE SCULPTOR OF ANIMAL GENTLENESS
1948 – 2026
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Born in Paris in 1948, and honored with the titles of Knight of the Legion of Honor and Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters, Michel BASSOMPIERRE is one of the leading figures in contemporary animal sculpture. He has infused this discipline with a unique and innovative style that is instantly recognizable.
Captivating and endearing, his work has traveled the world, scattering his menagerie of marble and bronze sculptures to the four corners of the globe.
Trained at the École des Beaux-Arts in Rouen, Michel BASSOMPIERRE learned to observe. Through the thousands of sketches he produced, he developed his understanding of the animal form—that subtle mechanics whose lines and movements he captures. He strips away the anecdotal to get to the essence.
Favoring animals with rounded forms—bears, gorillas, Asian elephants, and horses—he achieves a form that is both gentle and precise, where light never clashes with shadow.
His artistic approach to the wild world excludes all anthropomorphism: the animal is there, just as it is, in complete tranquility, magnetic and majestic.
The artist passed away on April 21, 2026, at the age of 78.
After New York, Monaco, Paris, and Brussels, Michel BASSOMPIERRE’s works continue their journey and are being presented for the first time in Portugal, in Bragança.
A few weeks after the artist’s passing, this exhibition bears witness to the vitality of a body of work that continues to travel the world and convey its message in support of life.
This exhibition is presented with the patronage of Cristina and Jacques BIGAND – Adao Grupo.
A dual exhibition offering a glimpse into the artist's world
In the City Streets / June 30, 2026–January 31, 2027
Seven monumental sculptures, each standing three meters tall, are on display in the heart of the city. This outdoor exhibition invites the public to an immersive encounter with the animals that have shaped Michel BASSOMPIERRE’s work.
.jpg)
At the Garça Morais Contemporary Art Center / June 30–October 18, 2026
This exhibition offers a unique glimpse into the creative process of Michel BASSOMPIERRE. The exhibition reveals the various stages of his work, from preparatory drawings to clay models, all the way to bronze casting.
For the first time outside Michel BASSOMPIERRE’s studio, several original works in clay and plaster are being unveiled to the public.
The exhibition also brings together a remarkable collection of bronzes, marbles, and alabasters illustrating the full diversity of Michel BASSOMPIERRE’s “Arche” series: bears and gorillas, as well as elephants, horses, and more…
MICHEL BASSOMPIERRE: THE SCULPTOR OF ANIMAL GENTLENESS
1948 – 2026
Born in Paris in 1948, and honored with the titles of Knight of the Legion of Honor and Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters, Michel BASSOMPIERRE is one of the leading figures in contemporary animal sculpture. He has infused this discipline with a unique and innovative style that is instantly recognizable.
Captivating and endearing, his work has traveled the world, scattering his menagerie of marble and bronze sculptures to the four corners of the globe.
Trained at the École des Beaux-Arts in Rouen, Michel BASSOMPIERRE learned to observe. Through the thousands of sketches he produced, he developed his understanding of the animal form—that subtle mechanics whose lines and movements he captures. He strips away the anecdotal to get to the essence.
Favoring animals with rounded forms—bears, gorillas, Asian elephants, and horses—he achieves a form that is both gentle and precise, where light never clashes with shadow.
His artistic approach to the wild world excludes all anthropomorphism: the animal is there, just as it is, in complete tranquility, magnetic and majestic.
The artist passed away on April 21, 2026, at the age of 78.