Jean René Bazaine (1904–2001) was a French painter, writer, and stained-glass designer, recognised for his lyrical abstract works that bridged figuration and abstraction. Born in Paris, Bazaine initially studied literature and philosophy before turning to art, training at the Académie Julian and the École des Beaux-Arts. Deeply influenced by French medieval art and modern masters like Cézanne and Rouault, his work was marked by a vibrant interplay of colour and light. 

Bazaine was a key figure in the post-war French art scene, advocating for a personal and spiritual approach to abstraction. Rejecting rigid formalism, his work celebrated nature and human emotion. His notable stained-glass designs, such as those for the church of Saint-Séverin in Paris, display his mastery of integrating light and colour in architecture.

A prolific writer on art, Bazaine also influenced artistic thought through essays and criticism, leaving a lasting impact on 20th-century French abstraction.