Grande Masse des Beaux-Arts

The Grande Masse des Beaux-Arts[a] or Grande Masse is the association of students and alumni of the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts and Écoles Nationales Supérieures d'Architecture.

Logo of the GMBA, designed by André Leconte in 1929.

Founded as an association on 12 January 1926,[1] it deposited its statutes eight days later and had its decree on 20 December the same year. Recognised as a utilité publique in 1932, its aim is to create and support links of solidarity between all students and former students and to improve conditions for its members.

It was a central association for student life from 1926 to 1968, organising the École des Beaux-Arts' social life. Since the suppression of the architecture section in the Beaux-Arts by decree number 68-1097 on 6 December 1968, which dealt with the provisional organisation of architecture teaching, the Grande Masse mainly includes architecture students and alumni.

The person elected to preside over the association is called Grande Massière or Grand Massier.[2]

History

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Origins

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Foundation

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'Utilité publique'

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Organisation and function

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Exhibition organised by the GMBA.

Organisation

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Functioning

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In 1929, André Leconte, head of the architecture teaching studio and winner of the prix de Rome in 1927, designed the association's logo. To symbolise the broad scope of its activities, he chose five figures of the major arts, namely (from left to right) architecture, poetry, music, painting and sculpture or according to G. W. F. Hegel's classification architecture, sculpture, painting, music and poetry.

Roles

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Gala poster, 1931.

Grande Masse gala (1930-1967)

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Callot building (1933)

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Callot building.

Publications

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Bulletin Melpomène no. 5, 1959.
 
GMBA coursebook.

Bulletin

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Publishing

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Notes

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  1. ^ Referring to the four fine arts taught at Paris' École des Beaux-Arts until 1968, namely painting, sculpture, architecture and engraving

References

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  1. ^ "Gallica entry". 27 January 1926.
  2. ^ (in French) Christophe Samoyault-Muller. "Les Grands Massiers : Présidentes et Présidents de 1925 à aujourd'hui".

Bibliography (in French)

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Works

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Archives

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  • Archives de la Grande Masse des Beaux-Arts, association loi 1901, ses bulletins, correspondances et publications, dont :
    • Georges Huisman, « Nouveaux rapports de l’art et de l’État », Bulletin de la Grande Masse de l’École des Beaux-Arts, 1937, no 110-111, 148 p. ISSN 0995-8843
    • La Grande Masse, « La réforme de l’enseignement », Melpomène, No. 13, mai-juin-juillet 1963 ISSN 2679-2982
  • Archives de Montpellier, Fonds Marcel et Édouard Gallix, cote 37 S 9 : Melpo, revue de la Grande Masse de l'école des Beaux Arts
  • Archives nationales :
    • Archives de l’École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts, références AJ/52/1 à AJ/52/1415, site de Pierrefite
    • ENSA-Paris la Villette, unité de description 20120112/1 à 20120112/214, Statuts juridiques des Unités Pédagogiques et des enseignants (1936-1983)
    • Fonds Paul Léon, unité de description 20140260/58, Association des anciens élèves de l’École nationale des Beaux-Arts dite « Grande Masse » (mai 1934)
    • Archives du Conseil d’État, unité de description 20060154/17, Affaire 316800 : modification des statuts de la GMBA (1976)

Articles

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The Grande Masse des Beaux-Arts regularly publishes articles on its site under the title Brèves historiques, including :