Famous French-Armenian painter Jean Jansem dies

Famous French painter of Armenian descent Jean Jansem (Hovhannes Semerjian) has died in Paris at the age of 93, the Armenian embassy in France was informed by the late painter’s family.

Born in 1920 in Bursa, Turkey, Jansem spent his childhood in Thessaloniki, Greece, and arrived in France when he was 11. Early paintings by Jansem were mainly dedicated to national issues. In 1973 he visited Armenia for the first time. In 2001, 34 of his paintings were given to the Museum of the Armenian Genocide.

In Japan, two museums were built to honor Jansem’s work, located in Tokyo Ginza and Nagano Prefecture Azumino.

Jansem's artworks are internationally known, and are part of museum collections throughout France and the United States.

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan awarded Jansem a medal of honor for his “reinforcement of Armenian-French cultural ties.” S. Sargsyan said: "Our nation is proud of you and values highly your art. While living outside Armenia, you have made our country more recognizable, extending our nation's good name all over the world,"