Raphaël Lonné

France, 1910-1989

Raphaël Lonné was born in the Landes region of France. He worked as a postman in his village, Montfort-en-Chalosse. From 1937 he was employed in Bordeaux, first as a cashier on the trams, then as a concierge, driver and hospital worker. His first drawings were executed during spiritualist experiments in which he participated around 1950. Convinced that he was blessed with supernatural powers as a mediumistic drawer, Raphaël Lonné devoted all his free time to this activity. He had the sensation that his hand was guided by spirits and that he was not himself the author of his works. His drawings depict human silhouettes or faces, animals and landscapes, rendered in a disciplined and microscopic style. Raphaël Lonné worked in a state of trance, using graphite, ballpoint pens, oil paints, water, Indian ink and felt-tips.

Source: Collection de l’Art Brut Lausanne