Andre Cottavoz

André Cottavoz was a French painter associated with the postwar Lyon School, known for his richly textured surfaces and vibrant, expressive use of color. Largely self-taught, he developed a distinctive style characterized by thick impasto, energetic brushwork, and a strong emotional presence.

Cottavoz worked primarily in still lifes, landscapes, and figures, often building paint directly with knives and heavy strokes, giving his canvases a sculptural quality. His work reflects both the vitality of postwar French painting and a personal, instinctive approach that resisted strict academic conventions.

He exhibited widely in France and internationally and is represented in several public and private collections. Today, André Cottavoz is appreciated for his bold materiality and expressive freedom, making his works appealing to collectors of modern French painting.