Composition

1911

Meetings of the Puteaux Group (Section d’Or)

He attended the meetings of the Puteaux Group (Section d’Or), the Cubists’ circle.

1912

In the Cubist room of the Salon des Indépendants

He exhibited “Amorpha, Fugue in Two Colors” in the Cubist room at the Salon des Indépendants (other accounts say at the Section d’Or cubist exhibition), although he did not wish to be identified with any movement.

1913

Completes “Creation in the Plastic Arts”

He completed the book “Creation in the Plastic Arts”, which was published in Prague only in 1923.

the First World War (1914 – 1918)

Volunteers for the front in the First World War

He served as a volunteer although he was at least 25 years older than the rest of the regiment; Blaise Cendrars, in “La Main coupée”, describes him as a proud, calm, strong soldier. When the regiment set out on foot from Paris for the front in Picardy, his wife met the column at the La Défense roundabout and marched with it, carrying his bag and rifle, until the colonel had her arrested and sent back to Paris; she later made her way to the front lines to spend time with her husband.

the First World War (1914 – 1918)

Frostbitten foot: he leaves the front

He left the front because of frostbite in his foot, caused by nights in trenches waist-deep in freezing water.