André Verdet was born in Nice in 1913.
The Verdet family settled in 1918 in Saint-Paul de Vence.
André Verdet joined the colonial infantry in 1923 and stayed in China.
Repatriated and treated in Briancon, he met Jean Giono in 1937 and published his first poems.
Grand Resistant - he was the Duroc commander at the head end which belonged Robert Desnos, arrested by the Gestapo in 1944, along with the latter, he was incarcerated in Fresnes then deported to Auschwitz and Buchenwald.
André Verdet met Jacques Prévert in 1941 in Saint Paul de Vence.
In 1948, André Verdet publishes "Present Memories", "Stories" and "It is in Saint-Paul de Vence" co-signed by Jacques Prévert.
Poet, but also a painter and jazz musician, he has been a friend and confidant of the largest, Giono, Cocteau, Picasso, Miro, Chagall, Leger, Magnelli and Prévert ... who said of him that he "wrote poems in person from hand to hand and gaiety of heart and because it makes him happy and he walks in his poems in search of what he likes and when he finds what he loves he said hello and welcome yes he greets those he meets when they are worthwhile or pleasure or joy ... "
In 1951, encouraged by Picasso, André Verdet will diversify its art and will begin to paint.
In 1960, André Verdet working with Arman, Cesar, ... it becomes an emblematic figure in the art world and admired by his elders.
In 1979 André Verdet meeting Bill Wyman, bassist of the Rolling Stones, and Jon Anderson, lead singer of Yes, sponsoring the creation of his orchestra "poetic jazz". It makes concerts in France and abroad.
In 1991, the MAMAC (Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art) in Nice a retrospective tribute in paint remarkable journey of André Verdet.
On 5 December 2002, André Verdet was honored by the world of the song, receiving the Grand Prix 2002 Poets of the SACEM.
André Verdet also wrote two songs set to music by Henri Crolla and sung by Yves Montand, and Stéphane Mouloudji Rus. Under the stunned spectators watched André Verdet performed several of his texts: "Picasso Blues," "Poems of Buchenwald" ...
André Verdet is a poet in the Greek sense of the term. This is one that creates.
And its creation lies in multiple areas ranging from writing, visual arts or music, inspired by Provence, Love, Life, and the world's violence.
André Verdet makes it accessible to all poetry and beautifully done!
He died at the age of 91 at his home Saint Paulois Sunday, December 19, 2004.
