Galerie Paul Prouté

As early as 1936, Dodeigne learned the trade of stonemason from his father. He then studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Tourcoing and later at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, in Marcel Gimond’s studio. In 1950, he settled in Bondues (Nord), in the Bois Blancs neighborhood, and worked primarily in wood. His first solo exhibition was held in 1953 at the Galerie Marcel Evrard in Lille. It was in 1955 that he created his first sculptures in Soignies blue stone. In 1957, he exhibited at the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Brussels and at the Galerie Claude Bernard in Paris. He went on to participate in numerous group exhibitions. The Rodin Museum dedicated an exhibition to him in 1988. Some of his monumental, stark sculptures—drawing inspiration from primitive art and prehistory—are displayed outdoors in various cities around the world. The human figure is at the center of his graphic and sculptural art, which is characterized by a quest for spontaneous expressive power, thus placing it close to the minimalist art of Germaine Richier. Many of his drawings serve as preparatory studies for his sculptures.