Ramanankamonjy Joseph

Joseph Ramanankamonjy was born into a family belonging to the Malagasy nobility, in 1898, in Anjohy, in the upper town of Antananarivo, where he lived for the most part of his life. His artistic training is well documented. As a young teenager, he learned painting with Stephan Rabotovao (1890-1935) and Antoine Ratrena (1881-?), then he was admitted to the free drawing and painting course taught by Ange Supparo, the winner of the first Madagascar Prize. The latter was a former student of the Paris School of Fine Arts. He taught first in the premises of the Museum of Fine Arts in Antananarivo before the opening of a School of Fine Arts, established by decree, after the First World War, on June 19, 1922.

Joseph Ramanankamonjy attended the newly created School of Fine Arts. He participated in the organization of the Antananarivo Fair of 1923 (Foire des échantillons), in addition to exhibiting his paintings there.

His travels on the Madagascar Island were sources of inspiration. In 1925 he was granted a prize to accompany Jean d’Esme, President of the Society of Maritime and Colonial Writers, in the South of Madagascar Island. Two years later, his paintings were exhibited in Paris (1928). Throughout his career he traveled back and forth between Madagascar and France. He presented forty-one paintings at the Madagascar Salons in 1930, 1932, 1933 and 1936. Each time, he received a financial reward for his artistic contributions.

In 1931, Joseph Ramanankamonjy was part of the delegation of Malagasy artists who participated at the International Colonial Exhibition in Vincennes.Back to the Madagascar Island, Joseph Ramanankamonjy played a central role in the organization of artistic life and the promotion of Malagasy art. He was one of the founding members of the Society of Painters and Sculptors (SAPSM) on February 7, 1936. Joseph Ramanankamonjy's paintings were highly praised during his career and met great success. He returned to exhibit many times, in France: in 1948 (at Cercle de l’Alliance Française, boulevard Raspail), for a monographic exhibition at the Agence des colonies, rue de la Boétie in 1949, then at the Maison de Madagascar (avenue de l’Opera) and at the Gallery of the Ministry of Colonies (Avenue des Champs-Elysées) in 1959. He met General de Gaulle and painted his portrait. The latter appointed him officer of the Legion of Honor, in rewards of his works of art, on June 3,1960.

Joseph Ramanankamonjy was aware of the colonial heritage he received through the teaching of Ange Supparo, and chose to promote Malagasy culture, throughout his career, by committing in local’s artistic initiatives. He was introduced in the Malagasy Academy as the first painter. As a prolific painter and a committed Malagasy artist, he received a State funeral in 1984.

A retrospective of his artworks took place in Antananarivo in October 2014, under the patronage of Ministry of Crafts, Culture and Heritage, and the Malagasy Academy. In France, two museums hold Joseph Ramanankamonjy’s works (musée du Quai Branly in Paris andmusée Léon-Dierx (Fine Arts Museum at Réunion)).