Anne Deglain was born in Chaudfontaine in 1929. She studied drawing, etching and sculpture at the Academy of Fine Arts in Liège before furthering her training in monumental painting at the Superior National Institute of Fine Arts in Antwerp. She eventually became an apprentice to Jean Lurçat at the Chateau de Saint Céré in France and finally trained at the École Nationale des Arts Décoratifs et Tapisseries in Aubusson. Such extensive training explains the artist’s skill and recognition in her field.
Deglain was adept at striking free forms, blending her traditional technique with contemporary abstract aesthetics, emulating brush strokes and expressive geometric patterns. This unique approach naturally saw her become Wallonia’s leading tapestry creator. Proud of the cultural and historical roots of her practice, which dates back to the 15th century, she respected the techniques, tools and materials of the past, refusing to change them, despite her appetite for modern styles. She equated tapestry creation to architecture and glasswork rather than painting. Even while conceiving of her ideas, she would imagine the final creation positioned vertically against a wall. Monumentality is intrinsic.
Feeling frustrated by the limitations of representation, she moved from figuration towards more ‘pure’ forms. She said: ‘It is an artist’s responsibility to evolve. My evolution came from a need of expression, which required abstract forms’.
Deglain passed away in Liège in 2013.