Jean LETOURNEUR (1954) - Lot 190

Jean LETOURNEUR (1954) Shock interference 2005 Partially polychrome stucco medal, no. 3/8 On the lower edge: LETOURNEUR 2005 3/8 Diameter: 61 cm, thickness: 7 cm In 2005, for the World Year of Physics, ONERA asked an artist to create a work based on the studies of one of its researchers. Jean Letourneur's work was inspired by photographs of hypersonic flows taken at ONERA for Bruno Chanetz's research. One side of his medal shows "a shock crossing of the first type, or regular interference [facing the silver tips], and on the other side a crossing of the second type, or Mach phenomenon [facing the gold tips]" (2020 CHANETZ). The aesthetic of Interférences de chocs stands in stark contrast to Jean Letourneur's other creations, due to its new subject matter. Exhibitions : - 2012, Meudon, center d'art et de culture: La quête de l'unité. - 2020, Meudon, musée d'art et d'histoire: La science à Meudon. Bibliography: - 2018 CHANETZ, p. 50, fig. 4 a and b. - 2018 LETOURNEUR, p. 93, repr. - 2019 CHANETZ, unpaginated, repr. - 2020 CHANETZ, p. 11, repr. - 2020 SCHEPS MAUREL, p. 80.