Montanier was born in Lyon, France, November 18, 1895. He began his studies as an artist in Lyon under E. Laurent, then went to Paris in 1923.

After the Second World War he participated in the annual Salon and group expositions in France and abroad, including exhibitions in New York (1974) and in Tokyo. Although his education was in the classic tradition, Montanier evolved toward a transposition of forms that is almost abstract, though still inspired by nature.

One month before his death in 1974, the Le Havre Musee opened the first major retrospective of his works. He is now represented in the Musee d'Art Moderne in Paris, as well as other French, E