Aristide Maillol. Quest for Harmony is a journey into the inner world of Aristide Maillol, who became one of France’s greatest sculptors and had a lasting influence on the history of art. A graduate of the École des Beaux-Arts and the Académie Colarossi, he distinguished himself not only as a sculptor, but also as a lithographer, engraver, painter, and draftsman.

An interesting fact from Maillol’s biography is that he began his career in sculpture relatively late, after the age of thirty. Before that, he focused on painting and tapestry design, even running his own weaving workshop. His turn to sculpture was prompted by worsening eyesight, which forced him to adapt his artistic practice. Despite initial difficulties, he received encouragement from Auguste Rodin and soon began to receive commissions.

In Aristide Maillol. Quest for Harmony, viewers learn that the artist often spent years working on a single project. He frequently returned to the female nude as a central motif, which sometimes provoked controversy. One example is the monument Homage to Paul Cézanne, commissioned by the people of Aix-en-Provence, Cézanne’s birthplace. Inspired by the female form, Maillol worked on the monument for more than a decade.

The theme of “the search for harmony” reflects the artist’s life trajectory. His early years were marked by success and creative balance, but during the Second World War he lost his sense of peace. A key figure in his life was Dina Vierny, his last model, whom he first met when she was fifteen. She became a source of inspiration for him, but the war brought constant anxiety, as she was involved in the Resistance and frequently at risk of arrest, prompting Maillol to intervene on her behalf.

Watch Aristide Maillol. Quest for Harmony online on the MEGOGO streaming platform.