Japanese Ink Drawing

Tony Thibon (1927–2014) was born in Créteil, France, and developed an early love for observing and drawing animals, often sketching at the Zoo de Vincennes near his home. His childhood was marked by hardship—losing his mother at age nine, wartime displacement, and  years spent in an orphanage—but he carried with him a resilient, optimistic spirit. Thibon studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in evening classes while beginning a career in restoration, eventually working as a site engineer on cathedrals and historic monuments across France.

Alongside this profession, he pursued painting with steady dedication, drawing inspiration from nature, travel, and everyday objects. Though largely outside the gallery circuit, his work evolved from figurative studies into a lifelong exploration of material, memory, and place.