In 1948, along with his friends Jean Fusaro, Jacques Truphémus, Pierre Coquet, Philibert-Charrin, and other artists from Lyon, he took part in a group exhibition held in the chapel of the Lycée Ampère in Lyon.

This event marks the birth of the Sanzist movement.

These young artists from Lyon reject “academic modernism.” Although their styles differ, they share the same goal: to revitalize figurative art without sacrificing the joy of creation or further experimentation with materials.

In 1949, he won a scholarship in the National Painting Prize competition.

In 1950, he received an award at the Menton Biennale.

Then, in 1953, he received the prestigious Fénéon Prize, which is intended to encourage young artists and writers.

André Cottavoz's meeting with the Japanese art dealer and collector Kiyoshi Taménaga in 1957 marked a major milestone in his career.

Taménaga is gradually expanding the reach of his work, particularly in Japan.

Simone

While Cottavoz is known for his landscapes of the South, which often feature chalky, sometimes pastel colors, portraiture plays a significant role in his work.

For him, the human face becomes a canvas for experimentation: the eyes, mouth, and contours of the face are not systematically defined by the drawing, but are constructed from blocks of color.

Simone is the painter's first wife.

He met her upon his return from the war. She welcomed him into her home in the Lyon suburb of Sainte-Foy-lès-Lyon and provided him with a studio.