Michel Anasse

Michel Anasse, born in Ménilmontant (Paris) in 1937, received training in drawing and lithography from his father, Maurice. He enjoyed working with various materials such as stone, iron, wood, and clay.

In the early 1950s, during a marble worker internship, he discovered clay modeling, followed by an initiation to metal sculpture and welding with Greek sculptor Philolaos. Eager for exploration and encounters, Michel visited pottery villages in Sancerre, La Borne, Gordes, and Vallauris.

In 1953, in Vallauris, he learned pottery techniques from Robert Auguste in the workshop of Le Grand Chêne. The following year, in La Borne, he formed friendships with Yves Mohy, Jean Linard, and Anne Kjærsgaard. With Robert Héraud, he built his first wood-fired kiln in Sancerre.

In 1955, Jean Lurçat introduced him to the revival of tapestry. That same year, at the age of 18, Nicole Guy left Bresse and moved to the capital to train as a medical secretary. There, she met the young Michel, who was 20 years old. It was love at first sight, their eyes filled with hope for the future and a shared sense of freedom upon their return from Vallauris. A change of direction was necessary, an artistic adventure awaited them.