1920
Ohannes Semerdjian was born in Turkey to Armenian parents.
His father was a silk thread manufacturer.
1922
The end of the Greek-Turkish war force Jansem to emigrate to Thessaloniki with his family.
Jansem spends his childhood there, and develops an interest in painting.
He copies scenes from greek mythology.
1930
The constraint of hospital care due to broken bones in his foot, brings him to France accompanied by his mother.
After four years of immobility in hospital (including six months with « les frères de l’Ordre hospitalier de Saint-Jean-de-Dieu » near Dinan),
Jansem moved to a large space in Issy-les-Moulineaux.
He establishes his studio there and paints, with success, portraits and landscapes.
At the same time, Jansem attended evening classes at the Beaux-Arts de la Ville de Paris at 80, boulevard du Montparnasse and simultaneously attended a preparatory school at Place des Vosges.
1936
Admitted to the « Ecole des Arts décoratifs » in Paris.
His teachers are Maurice Brianchon, Raymomd Legueult and Roland Oudot
1938
Jansem gets his degree of the « Ecole des Arts décoratifs »
1939
Reformed for disability because of his foot, Jansem works in a factory until the Liberation.
He continues to paint.
Jansem exhibits at the « Salon des indépendants »
1940
Jansem is naturalized French.
1941
First participation in the Salon des indépendants
Jansem attends the workshops of Yves Brayer, Édouard Goerg and Édouard Georges Mac-Avoy at the « Académie de la Grande Chaumière. »
1943
Birth of his first daughter Flora
1945
Jansem is selected to participate in the Salon d’Automne.
1949
Birth of his son Jany
1950
Numerous journey in Greece, Spain, Italy, he paints and draws from nature : bullfighting, processions, markets, carnivals and workshop scenes.
1951
Jansem is awarded the « Prix populiste de peinture » given by the « Musée d’Art Moderne de la ville de Paris » for the work “Les buveurs”.
1953
Jansem is awarded the Antral prize by the City of Paris
1957
Exhibitions in Italy, Switzerland, England and in the United States.
1958
Jansem is awarded the Europe prize for contemporary painting, Biennale of Bruges.
Jansem is awarded the Air France prize, Salon Comparaisons, Paris.
1961
Birth of his last daughter Sophie
1969,
The Mitsukoshi Gallery presents a retrospective of his works in Tokyo.
1992
Opening of the Jansem Museum in Ginza (Tokyo, Japan)
1993
Opening of the Jansem Museum in Azumino (Nagano, Japan)
1997
Jansem is appointed Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres, France.
2002,
Jansem travels to Armenia for the grand opening of his exhibition “Massacres” at the Genocide Museum in Yerevan.
Jansem offers the whole exhibition to the Republic of Armenia.
He is awarded the Mesrop Mashtots award from the President of the Republic of Armenia.
Jansem is appointed Doctor Emeritus of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia.
2003
Jansem is appointed Chevalier de la Légion d’honneur, France.
2010
Jansem is awarded the Medal of Honor for his contribution to the strengthening of Franco-Armenian friendship by the President of the Republic of Armenia.
2013
Jean Jansem passed away on August 27, 2013 in Saint-Aignan, France.
Works of Jansem in the museums :
France
Musée d’Art moderne de la ville de Paris.
Le nu et le masque, huile sur toile 200x240cm, 1961.
Les deux enfants, huile sur toile 117x90cm
Musée d’art Roger-Quilliot, Clermont-Ferrand :
Homme au coq, huile sur toile.
Jeune fille pensive, huile sur toile.
Nature morte aux cruches, huile sur toile.
Portrait de Madame Combe, huile sur toile.
Mairie d’Égletons,
Travaux dans la grande pièce d’eau, huile sur toile 54x73cm[4].
Musée d’art figuratif, Fontainebleau.
Château-musée de la Mothe, Mérinchal.
Bibliothèque nationale de France
Département des estampes et de la photographie de la Bibliothèque nationale de France,
Musée d’Ennery, Paris
Fonds national d’art contemporain, Puteaux,
Nature morte, huile sur toile 97x194cm
Musée Sainte-Croix, Poitiers
Switzerland :
Musée d’art de Pully.
Italia :
San Lazzaro degli Armeni, Venezia
Armenia
National Museum, Yerevan.
Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute, Yerevan, Eghern (Genocide), 34 paintings, gift of the artist
Japan
Jansem Museum, Tokyo.
Jansem Museum, Azumino, Nagano-Ken
Russia
Pouchkine Museum, Moscow.
