André Raffray (1925-2010), deemed "the painter of paintings", died in Paris on 6 January, 2010. Born on 18 July, 1925 in Nonancourt (Normandy), Raffray took art itself as the model for his work, from masterpiecesby Courbet and van Gogh to Duchamp and Picasso. His studies and subtle reflections on the canon of art history were almost indistinguishable from the originals, and yet entirely personal engagements with them. In addition to successful exhibitions in France and around the world, Raffray is represented in the US by Moeller Fine Art, which has organized several exhibitions of his work, including "André Raffray, Hommage à l'art" (2000) and "André Raffray: The Brooklyn Bridge"(2005). Robert Rosenblum,who selected the former exhibition at Moeller Fine Art as among the best of 2000 for Artforum, wrote: "I can hardly believe it was only this year that I learned about Raffray's mind- and eye-boggling contributions to "art about art," especially since he'sbeen at it since the '70s. For me, he now looms large as a venerable French magician who has added dazzling tricks to the metaphysical sleights of hand of such artist-counterfeiters as de Chirico and Bidlo."
